Originally Posted by JG1
1. With regard to the employment of low-time black pilots to SAA, I think in reality it's not the experience issue which many here are concerned about, it's the fact that these low-time blacks are 'jumping the queue' and putting more experienced white pilots out of a job. Complaining about low experience is simply a cover for complaining that you are being nobbed by affirmative action. There are hundreds of low-time (250hr) pilots flying commercial jets in Europe.
2. White culture in SA is very different from black culture. Very very different. Blacks and whites here think differently. Lots of whites cannot understand why Mugabe gets voted back in time after time. Lots of blacks can - they see him as the Chief Who Kicked the Whites Out and no matter what he does, or whether or not they like him, due to the inherent respect of heroes and elders in their culture, the majority will continue to support him to the end.
3. Blacks in Zim (and here, I suspect) would rather live in ruins than under 'the white man's yoke' again. The logic applied here is not 'what is the best for me/us/the country', it is 'we are the winners' ie. jungle rule #1.
Consequently no matter what the whites think, to the blacks it has been and always will be an us-against-them thing. In their tribal culture, until as recently as 3 or 4 generations ago, this us-against-them mindset ensured that their different tribes lived in a constant state of aggression. We see that clearly today in SA, it's not just the Black vs White thing, its the Zulu vs Xhosa thing, etc.
4. The whites here, thinking differently, and being a product of a society in Europe which had de-tribalized and learned to compromise many centuries ago, don't think like this. When we voted 'Yes' in the Referendum it was to end apartheid and racism, and to forge a harmonious compromise between all for the betterment of the country/us/me.
5. The transition happened, but it seems that whilst the Whites have been bending over backward to keep their side of the compromise, the Blacks are becoming more and more uncompromising (refer the Tutu speech recently) and are set to impose their policies whether workable or not. Again, the logic applied here is not 'what is the best for me/us/the country', it is 'we are the winners, you fall in line'.
6. The Blacks in SA find life very biased toward them under affirmative action. It is not just preferred employment. If a Black wishes to start a business, he/she gets free grants, preferential (often interest-free) loans, and preferential contracts and contacts. This will remain so, as long as their culture remains 'strongest survives'.
7. Its my belief that the reason there are so few black pilots is because to get to the stage of being employable as an airline pilot (even a 250hr one) takes dedication and a lot of hard work. Since transition if you were a black pilot your future was as rosy as could be, it was almost handed to you on a plate, yet, there is still a significant shortage of black pilots. Why? because although a SAA job would be handed to you on a plate, you had to do some hard work first. No, there is more money to be recieved/taken/applied for under other facets of Affirmative Action - as a Black you can get rich far quicker in other ways. Only someone who has a real passion for aviation would go through the hard work and study required to get to ATPL level.
8. Apart from affirmative action, the other downfall in Africa is the Handout Syndrome which started with sailors long ago handing out free beads/mirrors/what have you to the locals. The White Man has been seen for generations as The Giver/The Provider thus relegating the Black Man to the status of The Taker/The Demander.
9.Unfortunately AA/BEE and the Handout Syndrome fit hand in glove to ensure that the Givers/Providers get fleeced in an optimal way. The Givers/Providers get to pay tax, but have no say in governance - they are turned into economic prisoners. When their powers of Providence wane, they are of no further use and will be chopped. History has shown this over and over.
10. The Black Man is in charge in SA now, the White Man must either overthrow him or leave for greener pastures, there is no compromise. Which is why we hear all the SA accents in all the other regions of the world. There is no compromise, from now on the White Man will provide the loaf and get the breadcrumbs.
11. No matter how you gloss the facts, this is the situation. Personally I have no hatred/dislike/disdain for blacks at all, I just like systems to be optimised. So a biased system based on unworkable principles really get under my skin. Just as Apartheid did.
12. The old Regime also disadvantaged white males in that they had to do National Service - forced to forfeit 2 of the best years of their lives to support the Apartheid Regime. Not only were these two years lost forever - many of those servicemen still bear the psychological scars of that time and many of their lives were, and still are, affected negatively by this experience in a tremendous way.
13. What I'd like to see is all of us just get on with it, forget old grievances, and stop turning the racist past into a racist present. "The past was simple, the present tense, and the future perfect"!
JG,
Wow!
I am unsure if I understand the tone of your post, but it comes off rather arrogant!
And the nodding heads in agreement proves something. Whites colonialists (and their descendents) don't feel any culpability for what they have done to Africa and its people. Read that to mean exploit!
Anyone care to disagree?!
The continent of Africa is rich in natural resources yet those resources have been sucked right out of the place for the benefit of white Europeans. This has gone on for centuries! The borders that exist where drawn up by Europeans for the benefit of the Nations that claimed lands they had no right to in the first place. The tribal warfare that the "civilized" are so quick to malign is caused because of national borders drawn up by whites and it doesn't exist in Africa only. The conflicts among different "tribes" in Iraq, India, Pakistan and many others are examples of such. The tribes weren't consulted in the division of the land and they were forced to live amongst each other under an oppressive regieme.
Robert Mugabe is a creation of colonialism and his support is an after effect of that. Anyone's inability to understand this probably stems from the fact that they have never know what it was like to be victimized in your own home. You glorify your leaders faults and all!
Example:
Someone comes into your home by force rapes and sodomizes you steals all of your possesions and then by some remarkable bout of conscience decides to leave and now you want the victim to just shrug and say bygones!
Aparthied wasn't an accident or a mistake. Nor was colonialism. It isn't a history you can wish away. Ten years of freedom and power over their own destiny is not nearly telling.
The white man has never seen the black man as an equal. Not then and not now especially in SA!
"the White Man must either overthrow him or leave for greener pastures, there is no compromise"
Sure there is live as a minority as is your place in that country and fight for repesentation and the better ment of your country for everyone!
That's what minorities have to do and just societies arise to that eventually and not with out much pain and struggle.
The problem is white people have never really experienced this, ever! They don't know how to deal with it and it emasculates them as a culture. History has shown a need for whites to dominate (even though they are a minority as a race on this planet)!
SA is a beautiful country and no one can take away the fact that it is what it is today due to the influences of whites. It has a brilliant culture and history and has the potential to be something spectacular. If whites believe that SA is their home then they shouldn't be afraid to stay and see it realize its potential. It needs you! The blacks need you although they may not see it.
Whites SAs aren't victims, but they must stay and stand and becounted. They can be stewards to making the African continent and the African people realize its potential.
But I have digressed from the point of the thread. Can anyone give the numbers for the number of "fast tracked" AA Captains at SAA. Is this a real and present threat or an imagined one?