THE MF REMAINS ALIVE Ethnocentric politics has been perpetuated in various forms over the last century within South Africa. Group identification is key, especially by those who hold a strong emotional tie which is informed by a shared language, culture and territory. In South Africa, the racial divide caused by the Apartheid system had created stronger bonds within racial communities, resulting in strong nationalist sentiments by Afrikaners, Xhosas, Coloureds, and Indians etc. This becomes the socially constructed definition of community. Ethnocentrism in this country is not born out of deep seated racism towards others, but rather the belief that those who share a history with you are best suited to be representatives of that community. This is exactly what William G. Summers had in mind when he coined the word ethnocentrism. Whether this is the correct political positionto take within a heterogeneous society, only time will tell. However, we cannot deny that race still greatly defines our South African story. It was in this spasm of racial discourse that Amichand Rajbansi founded the MF and it is on this premise that it still exists. Today, the Party lost three excellent Councillors. People who feel passionate about the country and who wanted to see the advancement and development of their own communities. This was their reasoning in initially joining the Minority Front. The MF had become a service delivery vehicle like no other. Rajbansi was the architect of community upliftment projects, with many of the older generations still reminiscing about the “Rajbansi glory” days. While many would cast aspersions on the character of these three Councilors, I will remain resolute in my view that they were not adequately given the space to lead and represent their own community within their own party. So while some might see the shift as a victory for the liberal democratic ideology, I know that these Councilors are simply looking for a better and more effective avenue to serve their respective communities. It is common knowledge that outside forces have been seeking to dismantle the MF since the death of Amichand Rajbansi. And while they might feel that they are winning the battle, we will remain unyielding and strong, while continuing to move forward to ultimately win the war. The Democratic Alliance seeks to gain political advantage within KZN, and the Indian community is the key. This is most distasteful and should be condemned in no uncertain terms, so should any attempt by members of the DA to tag the MF as a backward party. Any such attempt at tagging political opponents only seek to divide the society for the purpose of electoral victory without any endeavor at national unity for the purpose of development. Most of the DA’s supporters are non-whites. Yet the majority of their Members of Parliament are white. While there is a clear effort to transcend this invisible ceiling, I urge our community not to allow themselves to become mere pawns in a mighty chess game. Make sure that your vote serves your community and the whole country.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:11:20 +0000
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