The furore over Helen Zille’s "legacy of colonialism" statement is so puerile and ridiculous that it is almost an insult to the intelligence of a normal human being. Obviously, the reactionary population in this country have absolutely nothing constructive to think about if this can be blown so way out of proportion. Let me make clear that as a Canadian-born South African I am most definitely the product of colonialism. Had my ancestors not been colonisers I would not have gained the benefit of every aspect of my development I take for granted. Yes, language, education, science, trade, infrastructure, central government (perhaps a dubious benefit but one necessary for the creation of countries and their development) and healthcare, among a myriad of others, all came about as a result of emigration, immigration and in one form or another colonisation. Everyone on the planet was at one time or another subject to colonisation. The ultimate colonists, and the ones probably most reviled ...

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