What worries me about us Black People it’s that, why does it seem that in most decent things which previously involved only white people who were able to maintain that decency, when we Blacks start getting involved, that decency start degrading? Why do we tend to be generally associated with negativity or carelessness?
For example, in 1995 when democracy was just introduced in South Africa after the first democratic elections of 1994, I was one of those who moved to the city of Pretoria, when blacks were now allowed to stay in areas where only white people were allowed to. I stayed in a flat and at that time most blocks of flats didn’t have security fences and cars could be parked on the street pavements overnights without worrying about crime. But since we came into towns and cities in numbers, security started being a problem, flats were now fenced up and cars couldn’t be left out on the streets for overnight anymore, because of deteriorated break ins in the flats and the cars!
Looking at Pretoria in town now, the state of the flat buildings has deteriorated very much. I remember when I sold my flat about five years later when the majority of tenants were then black people, the state of the flat building was much worse than when we arrived five years before. The lifts were not working and the building was generally dirty with littering all over.
Most whites who stayed in those flats before we came, had moved away to the quieter suburbs and we thought they were racist, but later realized that some were worried about devaluing of their properties. Chika Onyeani, in his book: “CAPITALIST NIGGER”, mentioned that in the United States of America where he is staying, other racial groups tend to move away from decent suburbs when black people start coming in numbers, because they are afraid that their properties are going to devalue in price. This is not about racism, but because of the problems or challenges mentioned here. Even noise due to loud music had become a serious problem. I remember initially when we arrived in Pretoria, white tenants used to call Police complaining about loud music from black tenants.
So, that is what I find difficult about us black people, although it’s not all of us, but it’s a general problem with blacks. Even like when driving on the streets, majority of people who like to throw rubbish out of the car windows on the tar roads and road sides are blacks. Why can’t one keep rubbish in the car until he/she reaches the next rubbish bin? Even littering of rubbish on the streets or where we not supposed to, blacks are generally responsible.
So what can be the cause of all these? Can we blame all these on apartheid and poverty? I doubt that!
Topic: SHARE LIFE ISSUES YOU FOUND DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND (Read 12609 times)
