Hannes Wessels
We are probably few in number but for those of us Africans, of all races, who have long been hoping something would change for the better, the future may never have looked bleaker in my humble opinion.
Since independence, I think it is safe to say that the quality of governance in sub-Saharan Africa, has gone from bad to worse and we must surely boast some of the most corrupt and incompetent regimes in the world. The hope that many of us clung to that South Africa, with all the systems, structures, expertise and resources inherited at the advent of black majority rule, would provide a shining light on the dark continent, have been effectively destroyed. If anything, the incompetence and corruption, endemic to the north, has not only been emulated, it has been surpassed to new, dizzying heights.
With delinquent regimes abounding and no internal mechanisms such as the rule of law effective in altering the behaviour of African leaders, the only hope lay in the application of external pressure by more responsible governments and institutions that had leverage over our rulers.
This was always a real possibility because virtually every country south of the Sahara, with the possible exception of Botswana and Namibia, is dependent on financial and other forms of support from foreign sources.
In the main, this assistance has been forthcoming in vast quantities over the past 50-60 years from the Western democracies and their financial affiliates such as the World Bank and the IMF (International Monetary Fund). However, unfortunately, the normal rules that apply between creditor and debtor seem not to apply in this context and billions, nay trillions, have been squandered and stolen over the last sixty years and while the recipient countries are worse off than ever, those that have plundered the proceeds of this largesse, have not been held accountable.
A root cause of the problem lies in the fact that throughout the post-colonial period, racial discrimination against whites has long been condoned, even incorporated in law, because it has been seen by the world as an understandable corrective action required to right alleged wrongs of the past – a deserved quid pro quo for the crimes of colonial oppression dumped on the white minorities who never asked to be born in Africa, not the citizens of the Mother nations who scrambled for Africa and occupied it in the first instance. The fact that these policies have forced the exclusion of people of European descent from every spectrum of the private and public sector where they contributed mightily, out of all proportion to their small numbers, with ruinous results, has been accepted as inevitable collateral damage.
Against this backdrop, I watch developments in the United States under the Biden administration with dismay tinged with a sense of hopelessness. By admitting the accusations forthcoming from extremist, Marxist movements such as Black Lives Matter are accurate, he has conceded that his country is inherently racist and therefore bound to make amends in a variety of ways which may include reparations for slavery.
While I look at these events from an African perspective, not lost on me, are the implications, for the country many of us have looked to for so long, for strong, principled leadership and decisiveness in protecting and keeping what used to be known as the ‘Free World’ free. And with China becoming ever more assertive in the global domain, as she grows her economic and military power, America is increasingly challenged. Now, thanks to her new president, admitting that he leads a country that is a racist, genocidal hellhole, they have lost the important moral high ground in meeting the growing threat.
When US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a summit in Alaska in March, the Chinese delegation led by his counterpart found themselves on solid ground. He chastised the Americans for having the audacity to criticise China for human-rights violations stating, “the United States does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength” because “the challenges facing the United States in human rights are deep-seated, such as Black Lives Matter.” These “human rights violations” are “admitted by the U.S. itself.” The problem is, the Chinaman is right. With China rampaging through Africa, plundering its resources, we Africans must now know, there will be no meaningful resistance from the US.
But, thanks to the Americans, our problems do not end there. Our leaders have not missed the rapid spread of a ‘corrective’ culture embraced at virtually every level of governance in that country where basically, saying ‘no’ to a black person is absolutely unacceptable under any circumstances, making it extremely difficult and sometimes dangerous, for a white person to resist any demands made upon him or her, by a black person.
On the back of this sentiment the enforcers of law and order have been neutralised by the acknowledgement of the administration of endemic racism in the country’s police forces which was an influential factor in the conviction and incarceration of Derek Chauvin on charges that he caused the death of the serial criminal, George Floyd. Bellicose calls to ‘defund the police’ are being made countrywide, policemen are retreating rather than tackling crime where black suspects are involved and the stage seems set for lawlessness to spread throughout the land. Your Ultimate Nuru Massage Experience Starts Here We take pride in our expertise, especially in the art of Nuru massage—a sensual and therapeutic tradition originating from Kawasaki, Japan. The word “Nuru” means “slippery” or “smooth,” reflecting the essence of this deeply immersive experience. Our massage therapists, trained to perfection ❤️ who is ? At Tug & Rub, we excel in providing a deeply sensual and therapeutic Nuru massage experience that focuses on professional techniques to ease tension and elevate relaxation. Our highly trained therapists use a combination of ancient and
Black Africans in power everywhere are watching this and smiling; they know the same will apply to them on an international level; all they have to do is cry colonialism, apartheid and slavery and the money from a guilt-ridden West will continue to pour forth while they persist with their awful misrule.
The damage done by the despots that has visited death, poverty and misery on hundreds of millions of blacks, is not only set to continue, but will probably reach new levels of atrociousness.
Woke wisdom in the Western democracies has concluded that colonialism is a crime against humanity. One day, probably when it is too late (if not so already), these fools will recognise that the true crime against humanity was the decolonisation of Africa that replaced the rule of law and sound governance with the rule of terror by the big chiefs who care for nobody but themselves and their personal Swiss bank accounts.
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You have got it right again. Unfortunately we can’t turn the clock back.
As always, a bluntly honest article about the reality of Africa and the western world at large. This is somewhat off topic, but I recall reading an article about a campaign 20 years ago among some African leaders calling for the return of colonial rule to their respective nations, as they recalled life being dark better under British and French rule than under current African rule. I don’t know if was a genuine movement or just a passing pipe dream. What, if anything, do you know of this campaign to turn colonial rule?
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This is another good article Hannes. I would also like to compliment your candid appraisal of facts, not forgetting the right to free speech.
Let’s not live in a world of fear where the ‘Agony Aunt’ columns try their level best to even have a go at Shakespeare. Thankfully Rhodes statue gets to remain at Oxford whilst we are on education.
I too have a fantastic sense of Africa, its environment and it’s people. It is wrong to believe that apartheid (no longer applicable to the new South Africa because it is against the law); colonialism and the slave-trade were only limited to the North.
From the Cape to Cairo and from Angola to Kenya, I have witnessed the fast-tracking of colonialism by the Chinese Communist Party. They seek to exploit the abundant natural resources and affordable human capital in Africa following on from what even the Egyptians and Zulus did centuries ago.
The Kings and Queens of Africa have used their own people as pawns in a never-ending game of chess whilst the ‘clueless’ left try and attribute blame on the West in its entirety.
Are we heading for checkmate? Let’s just see what happens!
All that you have written is sound and true. A further component of the corruption and crime in Africa is that the black people themselves are ruthlessly penalised financially and physically in some cases for any opposition to One Party States. During World War 2 the Jews in Europe and Russia were targeted as the haves and exterminated or locked away in slave camps. In countries like Zimbabwe the MDC leaders and supporters have been beaten or even murdered. A scapegoat is needed. The “white” minority fit the bill. Their black employees are included in this discrimination as evidence in the farm murder genocide in South Africa. The Right Wingers maintain Africa is for black Africans and the whites who remain deserve everything they get, because of the sins of their forebears. No mention is made of these black citizens.
In my opinion All Lives Matter. The world should be looking at corruption as a form of enslaving the haves, to pay for a gravy train of despots. The “West” should do doing something about it. As for the US president he reminds me of Jimmy Carter who let Rhodesia be taken over by Marxists. So Hannes do not hold your breath, Biden will steal the oxygen from your nostrils.
Thanks Hannes, another hard hitting truthful article.! But I think with the de colonisation , that was started by the yanks , Roosevelt , who wanted the Brits out if they were going to get aid.in WW2, and maybe they move in. The world is in a mess and it seems the Chinese are on an upwards path to dominance.. It seems they are after African mines with reports in Oz of them opening new iron ore mines so they can cut off the imports here an put a strangle hold on the economy. With the west , at the moment they need new strong leaders , in the US 320 ex Generals Admirals have signed a letter warning the people whats happening, they now have open boarders. Africa the new Chinese colony.?, and the corrupt black leaders won’t know what hit them.
You continue to astound me Hannes. You have a knack of putting my thoughts exactly and succinctly in the way I think and KNOW what is occurring.
So Sad but true.