Drop the Black?

Black Economic Empowerment vs. Economic Empowerment

I have a strong feeling we are missing the point. I am all for affirmative action and levelling the playing field. I fully accept that we can not live in a meritocracy yet because it would be like letting someone a start 10m ahead in a sprint and then saying it is only fair if everyone is allowed to start at the same time.

I buy it 100%

What I don't buy is `Black' economic empowerment, translated as `Not-White' Economic empowerment.

Firstly the concept of race is about as important as that of eye or hair colour.

There are two problems:

1) Economic Disefranchisement
2) Racism

Here are two opinions:

1) Racism is not solved by Economic Empowerment
2) Economic Disefranchisement is not solved by reverse racism

Where I have a problem in point 1 is for example, John Smith who is `black', say from America. Maybe John's Grandmother was black, and his other three grandparents were white. John moves to South Africa when he is 13, and can't speak a word of Akrikaans, Zulu or any other South African language. John's parents are stinking rich, and he goes to Bishops followed by studying at UCT, then cause he feels like it and mommy and daddy can afford it (well let's say Bishops pay even though he can afford it through a scholarship) he goes to Oxford.

John qualifies as a BEE, EE, Affirmative Action candidate, and a tick will be filled in on corporate balanced scorecards if he is employed.

This is wrong.

Where I have a problem with point 2 is that even with Economic Empowerment, you don't solve racism... that only comes with time and interaction and cultural assimilation or understanding.

Economic Empowerment starts at grass routes level, not by giving a few fat cats a cushy ride.