A new report by academics from the University of Cape Town–surprise, surprise–concludes that my hometown, “… is seen to be hostile to black people, while white people are still being appointed and promoted at rates suggesting “positive discrimination.” The link is to a news story in one of the Cape Town newspapers, that includes sample statements by by some respondents told the researchers.
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As a white student who also attended UCT, I would have to agree that there certainly is a high degree of segregation between races – the whites, blacks and Indians all tend to keep within their own social groupings. Of course there are exceptions, and my extended group of friends certainly includes all of these, although whilst in CT my closest circle didn’t.
But I do find it strange that CT is seen as hostile to black people – especially since I would consider CT in general to be more liberal in thi sway than most of SA. This may just be my rose tinted view of things, though. In terms of employment, my guess would be that things are changing, slowly. The report references this with some of it’s promotion stats. I’m a white englishman, and gave up most hopes of finding a job in CT, but to be fair didn’t push too hard. My sister did, though, and failed. Surely this is a(n anecdotal) sign that things are changing?
OMW, you confirm a sense I have from my recent travels in Cape Town, that is that while some middle class people have “extended group of friends” that are “multiracial” (and this also less and less common in Cape Town), their “closest circle” is largely monoracial.
On Cape Town being “liberal” that is a myth that needs to be discarded sooner rather than later. Cape Town is the most segregated city in South Africa and perhaps it is the place where Apartheid worked the best. The boundaries between “races” are policed there the best.
so,, people who don’t have “multiracial” friends in their inner circle of friends are, what, racists?
black people in Cape Town are neither as educated nor as dynamic as their counterparts in say, Joburg, that is why they do less well there. The UCT report was inflammatory, unnecessary and plain stupid.
Bear in mind too that a lot of people interviewed naturally view anything that stands between them and the instant-success promised by the ANC as “racist”.
Tim: C’mon. Blood must been rushing to your head when you wrote this.
Who said not having multiracial friends makes you a racist?
You then expose your politics with your “black people … are neither as educated or dynamic …” and your emotional outburst against the report.
Great piece of DA-speak at the end.