Call me counter-revolutionary is an exceptional, well referenced, column by Head of Crime, Justice and Politics Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, Prince Mashele.
I think it is a great column, because it attacks the idle middle class & its irresponsible consumer culture. I think this is one of the real underlying problems in this country and others. In fact I think Obama also addressed this issue, although in other words, in his inauguration speech.
While I think this is a problem in any middle class culture, I think it is particularly bad in the new black middle class in South Africa. For obvious reasons there wasn’t a black-middle class in the past. Now these people suddenly have access to money and it seems to have become all-consuming. I applaud Prince Mashele for being honest about the cause & effect of this on blacks.
I think this issue underlies many of our other problems like crime, corruption, fraud, affirmative action and the resulting poverty of many South Africans.
Attie Heunis's Journey 
Dankie vir die skakel. Inderdaad ‘n uitstekende artikel.
Hi
I totally diagree with Attie’s notion that black people lacked a middle class. There is no soceity in the world today that exists without a class system, where a persons profile and importance in soceity is recognised. It is very naive of him to suggest that in his article. Secondly, despite or tragic history, money flowed between all the people in this country. And contrary to popular beliefs held many where wealthy, and to state your ignorance of this fact, you can’t tie the two together as an explanation for our current situation.
Tebogo thanks for your comment. I’m not saying this is only a black problem. It is a global problem with all middle classes.
There may have been wealthy blacks in the old regime, but they weren’t enough to form a class as such. I don’t think anyone can seriously suggest that there was a black middle-class in Apartheid South-Africa.
By the way don’t stop commenting. 🙂