The New Black Bourgeoisie

EMBATTLED former PM and now Swapo backbencher Hage Gaingob recently got it all twisted when he angrily responded to the issue of the new emerging black elite.

Those of us who have observed and studied this strange phenomenon were on the same wavelength as the RP MP Henk Mudge, though we don’t share the same political conviction. The issue was not about fellow black brothers and sisters driving luxury German sedans and living the high life in former whites-only suburbs, but how in most cases, these ill-gotten gains were obtained through corrupt practices, political alignment to and sanction by the various economic/tribal blocks of the ruling Swapo Party.These normally take the form of empowerment deals, “soft and non-repayable loans” to fellow tribesmen and women, so-called union bosses, frontmen, such as brothers/sisters-in-law, sons/daughters-in-law or family members with different surnames to ensure smooth money laundering to other African and Western countries.Among the group of former student leaders and activists, one will notice a worrying trend that almost all the Ovambos got Volvos, Mercs, BMWs, Audis and an assortment of SUVs with homes in Lugwigsdorf and other leafy suburbs on top of lucrative salary offers and perks while the other groups were, so to speak, pushed to the periphery.Many clowns and comedians, who avoided freedom rallies, today are beneficiaries of shady deals and became instant praise singers through plays such as ‘Kwangala’.I handed in a lengthy document earlier this year at the offices of the Anti-Corruption Commission highlighting irregularities at Nampa and New Era but have not yet received even an acknowledgment.Corruption and tribalism enjoy a symbiotic relationship in that desert country and is exacerbated by the fact that the same person/s act as the police, investigator, prosecutor and judge with dire consequences.I pointed out earlier this year that this precarious situation is firmly rooted in Swapo’s frequently mentioned cuca-shop/kapana mentality: where everything and everyone appears small to the Lubango tribalist, and they, in turn, appear small to everyone, in spite of their inflated egos.These reactionaries of the freedom struggle are being rewarded, not only for spying, but continuously portraying a virulent form of cut-throat tribalism.In the final analysis, as I pointed out earlier this year, it boils down to Swapo’s and, by extension, Government’s politics and obsession with pigmentation.The scope of corruption in Namibia is too big, which includes other so-called soft corrupt practices such as sex for jobs/promotion or transfers to rural outposts which is all well recorded and rife not only in the Police and army, but at the echelons of power too.It is a tragic tale of contradictions, sex, tribal dominance and greed.Jora Jochem Cape TownThe issue was not about fellow black brothers and sisters driving luxury German sedans and living the high life in former whites-only suburbs, but how in most cases, these ill-gotten gains were obtained through corrupt practices, political alignment to and sanction by the various economic/tribal blocks of the ruling Swapo Party.These normally take the form of empowerment deals, “soft and non-repayable loans” to fellow tribesmen and women, so-called union bosses, frontmen, such as brothers/sisters-in-law, sons/daughters-in-law or family members with different surnames to ensure smooth money laundering to other African and Western countries.Among the group of former student leaders and activists, one will notice a worrying trend that almost all the Ovambos got Volvos, Mercs, BMWs, Audis and an assortment of SUVs with homes in Lugwigsdorf and other leafy suburbs on top of lucrative salary offers and perks while the other groups were, so to speak, pushed to the periphery.Many clowns and comedians, who avoided freedom rallies, today are beneficiaries of shady deals and became instant praise singers through plays such as ‘Kwangala’.I handed in a lengthy document earlier this year at the offices of the Anti-Corruption Commission highlighting irregularities at Nampa and New Era but have not yet received even an acknowledgment.Corruption and tribalism enjoy a symbiotic relationship in that desert country and is exacerbated by the fact that the same person/s act as the police, investigator, prosecutor and judge with dire consequences.I pointed out earlier this year that this precarious situation is firmly rooted in Swapo’s frequently mentioned cuca-shop/kapana mentality: where everything and everyone appears small to the Lubango tribalist, and they, in turn, appear small to everyone, in spite of their inflated egos.These reactionaries of the freedom struggle are being rewarded, not only for spying, but continuously portraying a virulent form of cut-throat tribalism.In the final analysis, as I pointed out earlier this year, it boils down to Swapo’s and, by extension, Government’s politics and obsession with pigmentation.The scope of corruption in Namibia is too big, which includes other so-called soft corrupt practices such as sex for jobs/promotion or transfers to rural outposts which is all well recorded and rife not only in the Police and army, but at the echelons of power too.It is a tragic tale of contradictions, sex, tribal dominance and greed. Jora Jochem Cape Town