An Insult To Africans

IN response to the letter ‘Victim Status Killing Our Country’, I have some comments. The Black Economic Empowerment principle is not bad as the writer claims. What is bad is the implementation and not the idea behind BEE.

Black people need to be empowered and enabled to be in the mainstream economy. This is the only way black people can actively contribute to the development of our country. Maybe the question we need to ask is until when will BEE be in place? White people in the past were privileged, therefore black people need to be privileged now so as to bring about equality. I know there are many greedy Namibians who are enriching themselves at the expense of other black people in the name of BEE. This people need to be dealt with so that all black people who have the capacity to make a difference should be given a chance. Those who got such chances should ensure that they employ fellow blacks who are capable in order for BEE to create employment and at the same time contribute to the development our country. The BEE should also have a timeline. There are many black people in Namibia who are working very hard without the empowerment of BEE and contributing to the development of our country. These people deserve to be acknowledged in just the same way as we criticize those who are enriching themselves at the expense of others.I don’t think the government has brainwashed the people to believe that they are poor because they are victims. Of course colonialism has contributed to the many woes but that doesn’t mean people should not try to get out of poverty. There are people in villages who built their own toilets without the assistance from the government and of course there are those who cannot build them because they do not have the resources. For the writer in question to say Namibia is the laziest nation is not true, Namibians try to do their best when given opportunities. You can packing things in supermarkets if you wish and can but there are times when you cannot. If you don’t do it yourself it does not mean you are lazy. Lazy people are everywhere – there are lazy people in Europe as well.It is clear in your letter that you are not black; your roots are in Europe and that is the reason you think Africa is the least developed continent because ‘it had it too easy in the past’. That is a big lie. Africa was the last continent to be colonised if not the only one. And for a person to claim that is because Africans are lazy, is false. History plays a major role in who we are and how things eventually turns out. It is good that you noticed the difference in climate or weather in Africa and Europe. Europeans were forced to invent by the situation they were in. You know innovation or invention comes because people want to get solutions to problems and that is the reason Europeans invented fridges. We Africans have our own shelter, houses made from wood and huts made from grass and clay. So for you to claim it is because of laziness is an insult to Africans.I agree with you on the motivation and encouragement so that people get to do things for themselves and not wait for the government’s handouts. It is not just Africa where you find social grants or initiatives designed to bring about balance in the society. People who are unemployed in many European countries get social grants to enable them to survive. Please people let’s be honest and don’t just blame Africans because of the situation they are in. Let’s criticize when it is necessary but let’s not just criticize because things are happening in Africa and when they happen in Europe people keep quiet. Let’s acknowledge the good things done by Africans. Let’s give credit when is due.Let’s not think we Africans are lazy. Yes there are lazy people in Africa or Namibia just the same way we have lazy people in Europe or elsewhere.AnonVia e-mail