By Victor Phalana
When thinking of South Africa’s heritage, our rich diversity, vibrant history, extraordinary natural beauty and fascinating landmarks, come first to mind.
Last week, we celebrated our heritage as South Africans: as the Khoi, the Afrikaner, the Indian, the coloured, the English and the blacks. During apartheid, our country did not reflect the cultural experiences of the majority of its citizens. European socio-cultural experiences were celebrated in song, dance, literature, museums, theatre, poetry and architect. After 1994, we still felt like aliens in our own country. Our cultural heritage was denigrated.
The excuse of our government for not doing enough for our heritage is that they do not have enough money for the “heritage project”! Where is the money? It has been swallowed by a dragon called corruption.
According to Steven Friedman, in his article dated September 6, 2020, “Corruption in South Africa dates back to colonisation in 1652”. Jan van Riebeeck, the Dutch East India company employee who was sent to colonise the Cape, got the job because he was given a second chance after he was fired for ignoring the company ban on using his office to pursue personal financial interests.
The period of Dutch rule he began, which lasted until 1795, was marked by tax evasion and corruption by public officials. Under British rule, which followed that of the Dutch, public spending was directed to serve private interests. The most prominent colonialist of the time, Cecil John Rhodes, was forced to resign after he gave a friend an 18-year monopoly catering contract for the government-run railways (JL McCracken; The Cape Parliament 1854-1910. London, Oxford University Press, 1967, p.115).
Paul Kruger’s Transvaal Republic, the Afrikaner-governed state against which the British fought at the turn of the century, was riddled with nepotism and economic favours for the connected. The British administration which replaced it served the interests of mine owners on whom it bestowed special privileges. What today is called “state capture”, the use of the state to serve private interests, was common to Afrikaner and British rule.
Given this history, it is not surprising that corruption was a constant feature of the apartheid period. Black people were its chief victims, since they had no rights.
The most corrupt period in the country’s history was the last few years of apartheid, when the attempt to combat the successful international sanctions campaign made corruption, protected by government secrecy, the core government strategy. This was often done with the collusion of private businesses. This was the period when we witnessed corruption in the homelands as well, where money meant for service delivery and development was used by leaders to enrich themselves and their families. I am ashamed to acknowledge that corruption is our heritage.
The National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 states that our heritage is unique and precious and cannot be renewed. “It helps us to define our cultural identity and therefore lies at the heart of our spiritual well-being and has the power to build our nation. It has the potential to affirm our diverse cultures, and in so doing, shape our national character.”
I proudly waved the South African flag on Heritage Day and, at the same time, I say to the young generation, corruption should not be our heritage.
Phahlana is Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Klerksdorp.
The Star