Chinese South Africans reclassified as black

[Phlegmak]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7461099.stm

S Africa Chinese 'become black'

The High Court in South Africa has ruled that Chinese South Africans are to be reclassified as black people.

It made the order so that ethnic Chinese can benefit from government policies aimed at ending white domination in the private sector.

The Chinese Association of South Africa took the government to court, saying its members had been discriminated against.

An estimated 200,000 ethnic Chinese live in South Africa.

The association said their members often failed to qualify for business contracts and job promotions because they were regarded as whites.

The association said Chinese South Africans had faced widespread discrimination during the years of apartheid when they had been classified as people of mixed race.

The BBC's Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg says the Broad-Based Economic Empowerment and the Employment Equity Acts were designed to eradicate the legacy of apartheid which left many black people impoverished.

The laws give people classed as blacks, Indians and coloureds (mixed-race) employment and other economic benefits over other racial groups.

The Black Economic Employment concept was initiated by the governing ANC to help previously disadvantaged individuals - to start their own businesses or become part of existing companies - thus redressing the country's historic inequalities.

Whites still on top

Our correspondent says the ruling provides clarity for corporations in South Africa on the rights of their Chinese staff - who were declared "coloured" under apartheid but are generally regarded as white today.

An example cited in court papers includes an oil company that disqualified Chinese citizens from getting a slice of its biggest empowerment transaction to date.

The company says the group is not catered for in the Black Economic Empowerment codes.

Another example includes a Chinese national who was refused an opportunity to buy shares from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange two years ago.

None of the three government departments cited as respondents in the court case opposed the application.

A study released last month revealed that white South Africans still earn around 450% more than their black counterparts, 14 years after the end of apartheid.

The whole thing seems weird to me.

Note to our two colonialist posters: racism FROM blacks doesn't mean that racism AGAINST blacks is the answer or was a better alternative. Neither are good.

 

[Ansar]

So why exactly can't they remove the reverse racism?

 

[Masquerouge]

Are the Chinese ok with that? Cos it's a very ironical way to grant their request...

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

Chinese are black!?! Physical anthroplogists are needed in South Africa asap.

Think if there was legeslation like this discriminating against blacks and benifiting whites. People would protest a lot more. But then again, what the hell is a white guy doing in South Africa.

 

[dwaxe]

roflmao?

I think humans should just leave South Africa for two years, and after living in a western country for two years, they can go back and form a new government.

Or, to save money, just keep the diamond mines.

 

[Arwon]

Given that the social and economic situation got how it did through institutionalised racism (like super powered affirmative action for whites), I don't think you're gonna get much traction arguing that affirmative action to counter decades of that institutional racism isn't justified.

Obviously the devil's in the details, but still.

 

[Beaver Cleaver]

Arwon. Can you please clarify the concept of "institutional racism." I am not having problem understanding it as what it literally means, but would like for you to educate me on what that really is in the context of South Africa's history.

 

[Arwon]

Institutionalised.

Basically the National Party classified everyone by race, assigned the blacks to "Bantustans" which were theoretically separate territories called "homelands" but in practise a way to disempower them completely. Lost their citizenship and everything. Then of course as a non-citizen you couldn't own property or run businesses and so forth. Separate transport and health and education systems, and guess where the lions share of resources went. Leave this in place for decades and you have the systematic marginalisation of blacks and to a lesser extent others, meaning that merely removing these blocks doesn't end the situation of social and economic disadvantage - all the good land and professions and property is still mostly in the hands of the whites.

 

[Beaver Cleaver]

Institutionalised.

Basically the National Party classified everyone by race, assigned the blacks to "Bantustans" which were theoretically separate territories called "homelands" but in practise a way to disempower them completely. Lost their citizenship and everything. Then of course as a non-citizen you couldn't own property or run businesses and so forth. Separate transport and health and education systems, and guess where the lions share of resources went.

Uh.. let me guess.. The evil white crackers who holds properties.

Pretty good assessment.*thumbs up*

 

[silver 2039]

This is a suitable measure to reverse years of white apartheid and repression.

 

[holiday_hawk]

So if they would have a kid with a real black, would the kid African-Chinese or just African.....?

 

[Tycoon101]

This is a suitable measure to reverse years of white apartheid and repression.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[Gooblah]

Gah! So confused!

This is stupid. In fact, South Africa sucks. If they had a black Gandhi, things might've gone better...oh wait, they did. Mandela was amazing. However, it all went to hell. Xenophobism, rampant corruption, etc, etc. Reverse racism isn't the way to go, here; it's better education, regarding immigration and basic job skills; it's economic diversification; it's promoting a defusing of racial tensions; it's not helping one race while screwing the former oppressors over.

 

[holy king]

So if they would have a kid with a real black, would the kid African-Chinese or just African.....?

hm...
it would be blacker than chris turk, that's for sure...

 

[silver 2039]

Two wrongs don't make a right.

This is merely a form of affirmative action, to help the minorities catch up to the whites who are still ahead of them in terms of wealth, education, life span, and many other factors. According to the UN World Development report for this year I think. Or it might be last year, the average white South African lives around 62 years or something. While the average black South African is somewhere around 45. It is also easier for a white to get funds to open a buisness then it is for a black. I see nothing wrong with making things more equal.

 

[Arwon]

Reverse racism isn't the way to go, here; it's better education, regarding immigration and basic job skills; it's economic diversification; it's promoting a defusing of racial tensions; it's not helping one race while screwing the former oppressors over.

You present those things like they're mutually exclusive alternatives. Also they seriously reformed the relevant Acts in 2004 in response to criticism. I have no idea how that's gone in practical effects. Do you?

 

[Tycoon101]

This is merely a form of affirmative action, to help the minorities catch up to the whites who are still ahead of them in terms of wealth, education, life span, and many other factors. According to the UN World Development report for this year I think. Or it might be last year, the average white South African lives around 62 years or something. While the average black South African is somewhere around 45. It is also easier for a white to get funds to open a buisness then it is for a black. I see nothing wrong with making things more equal.

By accepting affirmative action, you are supporting the idea that blacks are inferior to whites and are incapable of lifting themselves up in a Democratic society.

 

[Arwon]

Or, you're accepting that decades of ill-gotten gains by the white community has disadvantaged blacks unfairly and made a theoretically "level" playing field uneven.

 

[Tycoon101]

Or, you're accepting that decades of ill-gotten gains by the white community has disadvantaged blacks unfairly and made a theoretically "level" playing field uneven.

Is South Africa not a free society now? If it is not, then excuse me, but if it is, then those who feel that they have been wronged by society must stand up for what they feel to be right and enact change.

Not that said change would be good or bad, but that said change would be done without using racism to curb racism from the past.

 

[holy king]

Is South Africa not a free society now? If it is not, then excuse me, but if it is, then those who feel that they have been wronged by society must stand up for what they feel to be right and enact change.

Not that said change would be good or bad, but that said change would be done without using racism to curb racism from the past.

you do push people's heads under water and tell them to f****** breath on their own too?