I didn’t know there were tention between the Indan South Africans & Black South Africans.
Since when? Why? Where its going?
Ahmadjee, Indian south African never really assimilated into Africa. Very few (if any) speak the native tongue(s). The Natives resent their presence as much as they do of the Whites. In Uganda people of Indian background were pretty badly treated. There are a few Indian Africans on this board, perhaps they can shed some more light on this issue..
Many have seen the lyrics as racist, but the reaction from the Indian community and black South Africans proves Ngema has a point and there are serious ethnic tensions, especially in Durban where the majority of Indian South Africans live.
Ahmadjee thanks for posting this.. yaar, the Indian community have experienced racism in South African society for decades, it was there during the apartheid era, with segregation of the whites, the Indians, coloureds and blacks. It is still there today.
The South Africa of today is more liberal with more social freedoms, freedom of movement, social integration.. At the same time there has been a huge influx of black Africans from the smaller towns and villages into the cities with many unable to find jobs and accommodation. There are also a large number of migrants from other African nations.. So all this has added to the difficulties facing South Africa.
In my opinion racism against Indians may worsen in the coming years unless the state of the economy improves, accommodation is provided to the homeless, the hospital services are modernised and more funding is available towards Education. Job creation should be the South African Governments number one priority in the coming years. Btw, Nya my cousins in Durban speak Afrikaans, some Zulu, Urdu and English.
Dil..I am not talking about your cousin, I am talking in general. How many Indians do you know how are married to Zulus?
Yaar, the problem is not something that you can say will suddenly disappear if Indians mix with Zulus. The Asians that have been there for decades have integrated very well within South African society; my relatives have been there since 1893. Its those people that have come from the Asian sub-continent in recent years, many of them have not learnt to speak Afrikaans, some don’t even speak English.. They need to learn the South African culture. Having said that I think this is only a small factor in influencing racism against the Indians, it is very much to do with the state of the economy, the jobless rates amongst the poorer blacks many of which are uneducated, which is the cause of racial tensions.
Do the immigrants have to know the language of the locals or otherwise will be considered oppressors?
Ahmadjee, oppressors is too strong a word to use.. if you are living in a foreign society you will have to overcome the language barriers; if you fail to learn the native languages than you are in a way cutting yourself off from the rest of society. But again that is only a minor reason for racial tensions between the communities of South Africa.