THE STAR JOHANNESBURG THURSDAY MARCH 20 1969 Third in a series by leading Afrikaans writers RHMNERRRM Read as a piece of reportage r^ .E T SOUTH AFRICA has for years been an international that one tends to dismiss its heard for years, the “ wekroep we may feel a momentary superior “ holier-than-thou" atti­ tot die volk?” qualm, but any thoughts of parlour game. New players need follow no rules, nor do tude 'turning with relief to the Not only are their ears closed I direct action are quelled by Afrikaans Press that soothes our to this call, but we might as well | they have to learn how to play the game. All that is necessary is apprehension that someone will apprehensions with massive con­ also be speaking in a foreign! say something, in fact, criticize. cepts and fine phrases, unguents an ability to read the latest report on this country in the overseas A fear of criticism can hardly tongue. Dogma and doctrine do i for an itchy conscience. not charm them. They are j Press, a bleeding heart and instant indignation. Points are allo­ be blamed for all our attitudes, In saying this, I would be a our seeming complacency in the primarily interested in people,: cated to those scoring the most p alpable hits and it is simply not spokesman for my generation in how they operate, in what j face of blatant injustices. that found, in our early 30s. the Twenty years of one government motivates them. Pride in a , possible to lose. rw i j c \ a t / first Republic Day heartwarm- tend to make one forget that language, a nationhood, is an i UUAÏ: ingly moving, even if we did not accepted thing in their lives, n o t' Like haemophiliacs, South I THE GOVERNMENT is not an share directly in the great wave Africans bleed freely when abstract concept but a collection something that needs constant Í of emotion that overwhelmed nurturing. jabbed and despite the years we of people put in their present our parents. have had to develop antibodies posts BY THE PEOPLE. against criticism; like the hae­ Madeleine van Biljon Given a good marriage with New culture mophiliac we are incurable. Patriarchal reasonable incomes to live a life Unfortunately we are also rich in material comfort diffi­ Their lives should encompass unable to live with our disease. Europe I saw some very strange world. When, however, we In a country strongly geared cult to imagine in any other more than a fight for a new things.” Every snide remark about South become so terrified of criticism to a patriarchal society we seem country, we should now be language and a definite «iden­ Africa is treated as a serious Despite its very negative that it inhibits all action on our to have put all persona! reponsi- setting into the mould of secure tity. Our children should be able threat, a condemnation of our approach, this attitude against part and reduces us to a grey bility aside, relying heavily on middle-age, our beautiful child­ to see the enormous possibilities internal policies seen as an alien criticism may have some mass of yes-men, it is surely those that rule to make our ren doing well on the sports- of establishing a culture that international incident. merit. Unfortunately we are so time to reconsider our attitudes. decisions for us. fields, their academic careers does not need constantly to tap i adequate. the sources in the 'Western; thin-skinned that internal cri­ Passionate for pigeonholing Those who step outside of this world but, firmly rooted in our ticism has - the same effect. we look askance at the woman cosy family circle are sharply Somehow it is not working out Attack reflexes common White heritage, can j Anybody daring to remark on who works directly for another attacked for being destructive, this way. Because of our racial group. "Liberal?” we extremely limited contact with draw from the background o f ; However, as one must survive, the local scene gets the same for making no concrete sugges­ whisper uneasily, wondering non-Whites we suffer from a the peoples with whom we share ; South Africans have developed whiplash reaction, the instant tions. whether she is really suitable lack of imagination and we are this country. the immediate “attack reflex” rising of the hackles, the Newspapers must bear some for the next dinner party. Our unable to transpose our comfort­ Even if we justify our own against criticism from outside. “if - you • don't - like - it - go - of the blame. The English Press blood rises at the indignities able selves into their lives. mores, surely we can give our “ So, if you don’t like it here, some-place-else” approach. (for want of a better term) does imposed upon non-Whites, but Despite this we have come to children courage in the place of I why don’t you go home?” “Look criticize, but the approach is so Stubborn, unrealistic and re­ nearly always only when this realize that the Black man is our timidity, humour in the what’s happening in your coun­ often negative, our reaction calcitrant we faced and are relates to a domestic in our capable of government of acade­ place of our doumess.'in gene-. try.” Or, darkly; “ When last in against a hole in the dike of our willing to go on facing a hostile employ. mental security so instinctive, mic achievement, of a longing rosity of mind and spirit in the i for solid middle-class comforts place of our rigidly held t we enjoy. attitudes. Told for years that we must “ Fine words,” said an Afrika-1 sacrifice to achieve separate ner intellectual in his late 50s ! development, excited by the with whom I ’discussed these | prospect of seeing a golden views. “Beautiful moral princi- f future for all and the monkey of pies. But when it comes to j Nats, back Jo’burg conscience off our backs, we practical politics, both naive and l council’s traffic plan OHANNESBURG CITY COUNCIL is to be given full support by its j Nationalist members in carrying out plans to beat the traffic crisis by 1985. on the fact that every effort growth should be governed b y ; should be made to control the comprehensive regional planning.! This was made clear in the city’s growth tempo. A solution not coupled with5 council yesterday by Mr. C. F. de The only speaker on the limitation of the growth tempo j Wet, deputy leader of the and not linked with an active and t Nationalist Opposition. Nationalist side during a debate on the greater Johannesburg authoratitive regional develop­ In a speech applauded by both transport report released last ment body would not succeed. Nationalist and United Party week by the city engineer’s Mr. de Wet said the issue was a councillors, he also said the city department, Mr. de Wet warned grave one which transcended council was justified in asking that Government undertakings — party politics and should not be for Government and Provincial with investments in Johannes­ made into a political football. aid in carrying out its plans. burg totalling Rl,500-million — He warned that Johannesburg Mr. de Wet emphasized, how- would be hard hit if the city’s ratepayers faced grim prospects ever, that the Opposition’s sup- problems resulting from its without help and pointed to the port was conditional on full population and vehicle explosions fact that the city council had co-operation by the City Council j were not solved. difficulty even now coping with ‘ with the higher authorities and its bills. b b POPULATION It would be a disaster for the Without help, Johannesburg’s j « ty if the proposed traffic plan l-i n r l r r \ K a W c i l o i m / i n A n n 1 n ratepayers would have to pay had to be delayed, he said. I R313-million of the R536-million bill needed to cope with the ! growing population demands in the next 16 years. Johannesburg’s financial obli- ; gations could lead to such big , j increases in rates and tariffs that Madeleine van Biljon \ there could be serious consequ- I ences for city and State. Such broadcaster, columnist j increases would inevitably lead to 1 demands on employers for higher and housewife pay. The city council could justifia- have not sacrificed a damn stupid. Moral concepts and j bly make a plea to the Govern­ thing. We are beginning to practical politics are worlds ment and Province to help with query the validity and feasibil­ apart. And high-flown ideas | present and future planning. ity of the Great Dream. butter no parsnips.” Mr. de Wet expressed doubts' If the problem of separate If the future is to be j about Johannesburg’s ability to development were the only challenging for us and even j solve its problems by 1985. He, thorn in our middle-aged sides, more so for our children, then calculated that by the time the we could perhaps come to terms we must rethink this principle council had gone through all the with it, living from day to day, In a society as complex as ours required formalities before a leaving the whole mess as a sour we must get rid of the idea that solution could be executed, only; heritage for our children. the end justifies the means. about eight years would be left* But suddenly the children are We must realize that morally before the deadline.