Racism is a difficult and complex term, with many layers and possible definitions. This was one of the insights that emerged from A Conversation on Racism and Human Rights, a panel discussion that took place on 22 March at the Stellenbosch University Museum.
The panel featured local businessman and civil society activist Paul Roviss Khambule, Student Representatives’ Council (SRC) chairperson Lwando Nkamisa, and Annika Rudman, a Professor of Public Law at Stellenbosch University (SU).
The event, structured as a dialogue between panelists and members of the public, was held to commemorate Human Rights month.
The key speakers at Thursday evening’s ‘Conversation on Racism and Human Rights’. Back row: Paul Khambule (panelist) and Monica Du Toit (conversation facilitator). Front row, left to right: Franklin Adams (event organizer), Lwando Nkamisa (panelist) and Prof. Annika Rudman (panelist). PHOTO: Ross Michaels
Narrowing the focus to a local context, Monica Du Toit, head of SU’s Transformation Office and the facilitator for the evening, challenged those present to consider what racism means in the “hearts and minds of people in 2018 walking the streets of Stellenbosch”.
“I think it is important that we think about who defines racism”, said Rudman, whose academic research covers several aspects of human rights.
“Is it a white man who writes in the Oxford dictionary that this is what racism is? Or is it people that have lived experiences that define racism? I think it’s important that we include those experiences when we talk about racism. It can never be taken out of context”.
For Nkamisa, racism in South Africa was and continues to be about more than just skin colour. Although rooted in prejudice and a fear of the unknown, it often revolves around access to resources.
“Apartheid was all about ensuring that the majority of the community did not have equal access as the minority of the community. Therefore, we cannot define racism without going back to the issue of access to resources.
“And yes, since 1994, there may have been democratic rights for the majority of South Africans. However, do they now have access to resources?” asked Nkamisa.
Acknowledging the many frustrations faced by South Africa’s underprivileged youth, such as a stagnant economy and unemployment, Nkamisa spoke of his own experience arriving in Stellenbosch, where the imbalance in privilege between himself and his fellow white students had a negative psychological impact.
The fact that his white classmates had the latest iphones and laptops when he did not even own a personal computer, was an acute reminder of systemic discrimination from the past that still persists in the present.
Khambule also emphasized that racism in Stellenbosch is often experienced at the level of who has access to what. As an example, he mentioned residents who continually struggle to access the most basic resources and government services.
All three panelists agreed that defining racism was a challenging task because for each person it means something different.
“It depends on who you talk to. To someone it may be slurs, to someone else it may be unspoken words and the feeling of insecurity that you get. It may be when someone locks their car because they see a black man passing by, or if you are walking in a suburb and asked ‘do you belong here?’ So, it’s subjective,” said Nkamisa.
One member of the audience, a law student at Stellenbosch, cautioned against subjective definitions of racism. He argued that South Africa should aim to develop a common understanding of the term, so as to ensure fairness and avoid a situation where a single perspective becomes overly dominant.
“What it means is that at the end of the day you will have a group of people and the person with the loudest voice – their definition of racism will trump everyone else’s definition. And then they can use that say to push through policy or to push through an agenda,” he said.
Lethiwe Mbatha, a student at SU, offers her insights. PHOTO: Ross Michaels.
Lethiwe Mbatha, a student at SU, agreed that racism is a multi-faceted concept but warned against romanticizing the term. She reiterated that it is a practical reality experienced by many in Stellenbosch. She reminded the audience of the impact racism has on a person’s dignity and sense of humanity.
Franklin Adams, a Proportional Representative Councillor at the Stellenbosch Municipality and founder of War Against Racism (WAR) campaign, organised the debate.
Franklin Adams, the organizer of the discussion, gives the closing remarks. PHOTO: Ross Michaels.