I lived in South Africa in the 70’s and Apartheid was the most heinous of crimes against the indigenous people there. The only time I was able to sit next to an African was at mass on a Sunday.
Everything in their own country separated to the advantage of people with white skin, transport, beaches, homes, land, farming, wages, Health care, access to clean living standards, inter-marriage was a crime, curfews on the city centre after 6pm. I seen two young Africans getting beat up by police because they had broken the curfew as we headed to a city centre cinema.
The arrogance of the White supremacists Afrikaans was breathtaking.
Pat was working in the shipyards out there and so after several dinner parties with so called ex U.K. citizen’s who bought into the Master and Servant role far too easy as they discussed their maid who had been stealing socks one by one so their Madam wouldn’t notice.
I couldn’t believe their pettiness and asked why they didn’t just give the poor woman a pair of fucking socks?
as their guard dogs barked at the odour of darkened skin.
I told Pat it was time to go back to Glasgow as I couldn’t stand the bourgeois of Mlton, Paisley and Essex I had had enough so we sailed back to snow laden Glasgow that November 1976.
I could never accept Apartheid and the injustice that it was and my minute contribution was to give the cleaner at our apartment block as we were leaving all our left over food with a few extras and she was so humble and gracious in her acceptance of a bag of messages.
a pair of fucking socks I ask you.
Apologies a wee bit off topic…but just thought I would share.
