South Africa has a long history of race-shaming. It happens when individuals or groups of people are shamed for the simple fact that they are black. Bodies were lined up and hosed down. Heads were inspected for ticks. Pencils tested the spring-tension of hair. Coons were there to be laughed at.
Jokes abound about various ethnic groups. To this day comedians make their money by getting audiences to laugh at people classed as races. Coloured women are readily available material for race shaming, before and after Kuli Roberts despised their very humanity. You would think as South Africans we would know better than to race shame people in 2017.
And yet that is exactly what happened when white citizens joined black citizens in country-wide marches against the leadership of our country.
An incorruptible minister of finance was shunted in a midnight cabinet reshuffle setting off alarm bells among citizens and financiers alike. One ratings downgrade was about to be followed by another. Public entities were racking up millions, even billions, in losses. And the national currency was on a hiding to nothing. As the economist Mike Schussler put it, 10 years ago South African industry produced 6.4% more and the rand was 83% stronger.
Ordinary people from across the race and class spectrum knew one thing - the ruling party and the government it dominates had failed the country. Even leading politicians in the majority party were openly criticising the president, an unprecedented development given that the deputy president and the secretary-general, among others, weighed in. Something had to be done.
Then something nasty happened. As white South Africans joined the marches they were roundly shamed from different quarters. There were hardcore black supporters of the president who threatened physical action against the whites.
"I want to say to our white counterparts they must be very, very careful" said the shameless black mayor of one city - to applause from his audience. For this group the attack on whites involved in civic action is naked racism. Their twin strategy is to launch a racist tirade against whites and at the same time play victim - we are not monkeys, we will not tolerate racism. Sure, but where in the marches were those racist placards or statements? The closest anyone came to finger-pointing was at a group carrying bananas to signal our banana republic status.
A more sophisticated group attacking whites wants them to acknowledge the past and their own privileges in the present. Again, a fair point, but since when did we require a political litmus test for solidarity marches? It certainly was not required when whites throughout history joined the struggle for freedom in the liberation movements. Wrong was wrong. Then we recognised that our liberation depended on cross-racial solidarities; in the struggle against corruption and capture we also stand or fall together.
Most of the white folk I know and who marched are a mix of lefties, progressives and just good, decent citizens. But shaming whites these days makes no distinction. That is why the moving picture of Black Sash member Rosemary Smith on social media was so powerful - more than 30 years ago her poster read, "Mr Botha when will you hear?" In the Grahamstown march last week her poster read, "Mr Zuma when will you hear?"
