Jon Qwelane: "Fire the lot!"

The author is racist and there is no problem. Viva, ANC, Viva!

The moment a whitey tries to manage the darkies he/she is labeled a racist. It is very difficult to be a white manager in Government nowadays. That’s why most white managers left.

Very interesting perspective. And not quite evenhanded. Takes great care in identifying the CLO by name which is most likely white and obviously male and describing all his actions in detail. However (from experience I know) virtually all the counterstaff is female and black. And none is identified and associated with their respective transgressions and as line function they aren't doing their job as they are supposed to. Frankly, my sympathy lies with the CLO. To manage as a white male in a goverment structure takes some very special skills. And firing anybody? Especially black female staff. Even if they applied for it in triplicate he still won't get it right. Poor sod.

Presumably Van der Bergh has two concerns: first, if he spoke in a tough but precise manner to his rude minions he would be accused of being a confrontational racist; and second, if he tried to fire the unprofessional staff he would face a toyi-toyi by the Cosatu-affiliated SA Black Municipal Workers Union, to which the arrogant and unpolished Wadeville staff belong.

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Pity, you didn't read the entire article, he clearly defines them as black. However I must differ with you, at the Centurion Licencing Office, the staff esp counterstaff are mainly white female and the same pathetic service is offered, this IMHO is not about black or white but the attitude of civil servants.

xtermin8or said:

Pity, you didn't read the entire article, he clearly defines them as black. However I must differ with you, at the Centurion Licencing Office, the staff esp counterstaff are mainly white female and the same pathetic service is offered, this IMHO is not about black or white but the attitude of civil servants.

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I did read the entire article and carefully so - Jon takes great care in not directly identifying the race of any individual. As a 'good' journalist he allows you to infer from certain facts (as you have done from the union reference). However he takes great care in identifying the CLO (with an obvious white afrikaans surname) and sacrificing him on the altar of journalism. He however does not have the guts to do the same with the other incompetant staff - most of which are black, while acknowleding the obvious constains that the CLO must experience. What mitigating factors are applicable to them?

I have no experience wrt Centurion.

I agree with your perspective that the attitude of civil servants is the issue, but I believe that the method used by the journalist to demonstate this is racially biased - therefore he is guilty of racism.