WILLIAM GUMEDE: How black poverty is used to legitimise self-enrichment
Jacob Zuma was a master of the appropriation of black poverty, culture and traditions for pure self-interest
There is often an outcry about whites appropriating aspects of black culture — whether braids, clothes or speech — yet a major problem in SA is that opportunistic blacks are increasingly appropriating black poverty, black identity and culture as a cover to legitimise personal advancement, self-enrichment and often corruption.
The appropriation of black poverty, identity and traditional culture by other blacks for self-interest does very little to help reduce mass black poverty or to foster more rounded black identities and inclusive cultures; in fact, it increases black poverty, distorts black identity and causes further cultural marginalisation...
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