Documents: Africans and Whites in Dialogue

DOCUMENT 41c. "The Native Problem." Article in The Cape Times by the Rev. Abner Mtimkulu, May 30, 1924

Of all the agencies that may be employed for the solution of the native problem, with­out doubt the greatest of these is the knowledge of the problem and the people of whom the solution is sought to benefit and intended to apply to. It is the study of the relation of the white and black races with a view to forge a connecting link for mutual understanding.

This knowledge cannot be obtained from Government Blue Books, nor from Govern­ment official interviews, compressed and bound-up as they are with official red tape;
but in meetings such as this, composed of men and women who have elected to stand for right and humanity--a meeting of the old and tried friends of the natives who, behind the scenes, have for some time past been working for the interest and welfare of the native people.

The Welfare Societies of to-day cannot be other than the continuation of the great work of those noble men and women who singly held the fort for humanity and right until the formation of the Welfare Societies of to-day. The Welfare Societies and the joint council have supplied a long-felt need, and should bridge the gulf between Europeans and natives; should educate public opinion of their wants and needs, and create confidence by assisting them as they did during the discus­sion in Parliament of the Urban Areas Act, the
Langa Township, and the Bondelzwarts affair.

It must not be forgotten that it is only about two centuries ago since the advent of the European into this country, with a system of Government and codes of law. entirely different from those of the native. The native Courts were Courts of Justice, while the European's was a Court of Law.

All New to Him.

The democratic form of Government is new to him; the continual chopping, changing, and amending of laws, and the continual change of those in authority is unknown to him. He needs guidance, he requires help. In his state of transition, awakening up from his sleep of centuries, he finds a new order of things, he finds a changed world, his pastimes are considered illegal; he must buy land, or compulsorily go to service, his wants have been increased, he must pay taxes, and his movements regulated; in his effort to make up for the lost time he becomes restless, and he is immediately diagnosed as a sure case for military operations; guns and bayonets are brought to play, and much suffering is caused, even to women and children.

We are inclined to believe that if all our leading and thoughtful Britishers were to join the Welfare Societies the tragedies of Bullhoek and that of the Bondelzwarts would never again occur, for then the public would have been educated in the psychology of the native mind. On the other hand, the native would have had (he chance to ventilate his griev­ances, whether real or imaginary, to some one or some society, whose influence and sympathy would in some way deaden the force of impact. For that reason the Welfare Societies and joint councils have the support of the leading native opinion in the Union.

Sunshine of Progress.

The incoming of the European brought education and civilisation, with its dazzling beauty and freedom, and the native began to warm himself in the sunshine of light and progress, and to drink from the universal well of knowledge. He begins to ask questions, and to reason out things. He desires as others do, but civilisation being "the survival of the fittest," he goes to the wall because he is unprepared. In his haste to proceed he has not observed the dangerous pitfalls that are responsible for many a death.

We look up to the Welfare Societies to set up warning lights along the danger zone of drink and its concomitant evil. We have not yet understood the logic of convicting a man for drinking poison, and the supplier to be regarded as innocent, and yet daily such conviction takes place in the Magistrates' Courts. The Welfare Societies should help to get both the supplier and the supplied under the arm of the law.

The Urban Native.

The new order of things brought with it the new problem in the native question--the urban native, one whose grandfather before him broke off all ties with the tribal system. He is as ignorant of heathen life as any of the nationalities that come from abroad. He finds that he must work, but the colour of his face is against him. His cost of living is practically as high as that of anybody, because the landlord, the grocer, and the butcher have no margin for blacks in their books, and charge the same. He finds that rings, unions, and federations have built barriers which he cannot enter. In the commercial world distribution and exchange are disheartening and perplexing. He turns to the street in disgust, and the next that we hear of him is in the Police Court charged with housebreaking, theft, or shebeening. The Welfare Society should interest themselves in these cases by striking out a way for getting employment for natives, without having to go the length of inducing them to sign a contract, which suggests to them slavery. In the democratic form of Government, such as we enjoy, the native needs all the help and protection that may be given him. In fact, the native question should be raised from the duststorms of party politics, and should be regarded as a sacred trust. When one realises how the parties are competing as to which can draw a most destructive policy for a people who are politically mute and dumb fear of the result of its operation, and austerity of the human heart asserts itself.

Policy of Despair.

The segregation policy is a policy of despair. It is a reply to the question "What shall we do with the natives?" It suggests extermination. It means giving the native the length of the rope; because in his backward state he will relapse to heathenism and will rebel. We shall then have an excuse for exterminating him. It is also a policy of regret. It would appear that the propounders of this policy regret to find the native improving himself and forging ahead. As a menace he may take away the bread intended for the European, and therefore it is suggested that the native be allowed to develop in his own line. Human nature being what it is he may then relapse to barbarism, thereby trampling down the work of the missionaries who have made him what he is.

It is likewise a policy of oppression. If the segregation policy had referred to Europeans it would not have been discussed and be made an election plank without first being brought before the electorate, and perhaps decided by a referendum. When this land was first granted for colonisation it was directed under "Letters Patent." That there shall not be in the eyes of the law any discrimination by reason of colour, races, or creed. I suppose that, to-day, is only a "scrap of paper" and beneath notice where natives are concerned. The British nation only a few years ago entered the World War to suppress the policy of oppression, the policy of Might is Right. Europeans could not be held back from coming South, although the Almighty had segregated them by some thousands of miles of water--and will a strand of water do it?

Although the segregation policy is about as old as the Union, we have not been told how it is proposed to make it operative. Where is the land to which the native may be sent? Will the fanner give up his farm? Will a native agree to go to the Sahara? Is this a suggestion for an "Imperium in imperio"? If so, who is responsible? We look up to the Welfare Society for guidance in these matters, and if all our Societies share in the social, religious, and political welfare of our people the future is assured, and there is a great hope for the native races of South Africa.

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