White genocide? Not in our name

Attending the Stellenbosch Woordfees last week made me proud to be South African. It was a culture and arts meeting in a melting pot of South Africanness, while we argue and debate serious issues, such as who our next president will be and the implications thereof; as well as the Afrikaner question with regard to the deteriorating relations with the US.

One of the emotional points that received attention was the lie US President Donald Trump perpetuated – of a white genocide of Afrikaner men and women that is supposedly taking place here at home. Coupled with this is the supposed targeted killings of white farmers and their land being confiscated by black South Africans.

Emotions ran understandably high among the white Afrikaner folk in the Netwerk24 tent, many of whom are rightfully saying “not in our name”.

The gruesome genocides in Yugoslavia and Rwanda were highlighted by some and it was pointed out that it was irresponsible for anyone in South Africa to want to give oxygen to such a serious crime against humanity.

Afrikaners in the room took serious exception to those with a political agenda wanting to encourage Trump to take punitive action against South Africa based on such lies.

It was mentioned that since the lie emerged, more and more South Africans were highlighting other race-based incidents throughout history where historic injustices against blacks took place. The 1913 Land Act, the forced removals in the 1960s and the creation of Bantustan territories, to mention but a few.

Raising the historic points is in itself not problematic but the point is that we are allowing a foreign government to ignite racial tension in our country. A dangerous issue when, in fact, we are all trying to build a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic nation in Mzansi.

The charge of genocide must not be taken lightly because peoples throughout the world have started wars and other such heinous acts with far less rhetoric.

Trump and his ilk must be told – in no uncertain terms – that we will not stand for it. Just because Trump is the leader of the largest economy and military in the world does not give him the right to fabricate lies and narratives that could have dire consequences for those of us living in our beloved country. Those who promote such lies must surely be aware of the damage it causes for the economy of South Africa, as well as tourism, agriculture and so much more.

In fact, we must ask AfriForum and Solidarity, what the endgame is here. A destroyed country so that we protect the minority rights of the Afrikaner volk?

The fact that one of us won the Nobel Peace Prize again this year speaks volumes about South Africans’ moral authority globally, hence it was the right thing to take Israel to the International Court of Justice on the charge of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. Only we could have been bold enough to hold Israel to account for its sins. Trump will not stop us, given our moral clarity.

I am old enough to recall the killings between the Serbians and Bosnians. Similarly, the bodies floating down the rivers in Rwanda, where Hutus murdered and maimed Tutsis. People hacked to death with machetes. Women and children in both genocides murdered for no apparent reasons but tribal affiliation.

We can’t remain mum on such a grave charge from Trump. Do we have challenges in our country? No one will deny that we do. Crime is rampant but not only on farms. Poverty and inequality are huge contributing factors to this grim reality, not just the failings of our police service. We cannot only want to address the symptoms; we have to tackle the root causes.

Apartheid has left deep scars on our society and yes, the democratic era has also contributed to exacerbating matters – but these are our challenges and we must debate and argue them. We don’t need a Donald Trump to come and tell us what we can and cannot do or who our friends should be. Not in our name.

• Dr Van Heerden is a senior research fellow at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership at UJ.