Some people who have not come to grips with the notion of substantive equality and think that equality is about the equal treatment of everyone under all circumstances, get very cross about the existence of organisations like the Black Lawyers Association (BLA). “It’s racist!” they shout. “It’s discriminatory!” “How very dare they!”
I am not one [...]
Posts under ‘Race’
BLA in need of a PR makeover?
On reasonable accommodation
Few recent events have highlighted the racial fault lines in South African society more starkly than the recent death of Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. While many South Africans (mostly white) have welcomed the death of the late Minister, pointing to her disastrous management of the HIV/AIDS crisis and the untold suffering and death caused by it, many [...]
Ruling elite not interested in democracy or the Rule of Law?
When EP Thompson, the Marxist historian considered by many to be the greatest British historian of his time, wrote that the Rule of Law was “an unqualified human good”, he created quite a stir. It was an article of faith among Marxists that the law was always used by the ruling class to legitimise its [...]
On fingerprints and the right to privacy
When entering fortress USA, those very grumpy US officials at passport control take your fingerprints as well as a retina scan – and there is absolutely bloody nothing one can do about it, except institute a private travel boycott against the land of the brave and the free. Until two weeks ago one also had to declare [...]
Pulling a Menzi Simelane
In the past I have been critical of the way in which the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has been fulfilling its constitutional obligations as required by the Constitution. The preposterous decision of a majority of members on the disciplinary committee of the JSC (all but one of the lawyers on the JSC committee voting with [...]
Kill the beasts – but only if they are not cute
During the Ukweshwama ritual, a traditional Zulu ritual that usually takes place at the end of the harvest season, a group of young men kill a bull with their bare hands. According to Animal Rights Africa (ARA) the ritual is rather cruel. ARA provides an eye witness account which states that:
For 40 minutes, dozens trampled the bellowing, groaning [...]
Cape Town a racist city?
In our little visdorpie an argument is raging about whether Cape Town is a racist city. The argument was sparked by a report written by Dr Sabie Surtee and Prof Martin Hall of the UCT Development Policy Research Unit, which found a widespread belief amongst black African professionals working in Cape Town that the city [...]
Jansen’s Reitz decision: an attack on the Rule of Law?
Back in 1995 I reluctantly supported the creation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), even though the legislation provided for the granting of full amnesty to those who committed abuses during the apartheid era. It was the time of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s ”Rainbow Nation” (remember that phrase?), the Rugby World cup victory and “Madiba magic” and it seemed appropriate [...]
What is our commitment to transformation?
A while ago I was lambasted by some readers for suggesting that some senior black leaders – including Jackie Selebi, President Jacob Zuma, Advocates for Transformation and the Black Lawyers Association – were guilty of hypocrisy because they seem to support the appointment of white lawyers in high profile cases. Why is there no outcry when [...]
On silence, patronising interventions and the duty to speak out
Ken Owen, the sharp-tongued commentator who used to edit the Sunday Times, has been having a fascinating argument about the Hlophe debacle with various other white commentators in the pages of Business Day. His argument is essentially that white people should shut up about the raping of the Rule of Law by the JSC, because if [...]
