Jacob Zuma: Afrikaners the only white African tribe

Afrikaners only true white Africans - Jacob Zuma
02 April 2009


ANC president tells audience he appreciates honesty of the white tribe


JOHANNESBURG (Sapa) - ANC president Jacob Zuma called Afrikaners the only true South Africans among whites, at a meeting with representatives of Afrikaner groups in Sandton, Johannesburg on Thursday.

"Of all the white groups that are in South Africa, it is only the Afrikaners that are truly South Africans in the true sense of the word," Zuma said.

The representatives of various Afrikaner agricultural, women's and cultural organisations listened intently after Zuma broke the ice by trying to speak Afrikaans.

"I won't go very far in Afrikaans. As you know I grew up in Natal... and in Natal we are more English than anything.. So that's why ek praat nie mooi Afrikaans nie (I don't speak good Afrikaans)," he said, letting out a long belly laugh.

With the audience leaning forward in their seats, he said: "Up to this day, they (the Afrikaners) don't carry two passports, they carry one. They are here to stay."

Some of the representatives tried to applaud, but stopped to listen as he continued.

He said since the Afrikaners embarked on the Great Trek from the Cape to the north, they had made many contributions to the country and encounters with Afrikaners had been both friendly and hostile over the centuries.

Afrikaners were part of the discovery of the riches of the country, they helped shaped a union out of separate republics and they made an immense contribution to military history.

"General de la Rey invented things that got adapted by the world today as some of the best things to do if you fight a war," he said of the Boer general Koos de la Rey, who holds icon status among some Afrikaners.

He broached the apartheid era delicately and with a touch of humour.

He said the Afrikaners were "innovative" in their approach to complaints about apartheid, giving it new names, like "separate development", whenever there was a grievance.

"If you want freedom, here's your homeland," he laughed.

But, he said, "whether you like their politics or what they did, is a different matter, but it was part of the process of making South Africa what it is today".

He said the Afrikaners were also part of the negotiations towards democracy.

"They have been there, in whatever twists and turns this country went through."

Drawing his audience in further, Zuma said: "It is the only white tribe in a black continent or outside of Europe which is truly African, the Afrikaner."

Zuma said that after the advent of South Africa's first democratic elections, Afrikaners withdrew because the blame for apartheid "was being placed squarely on the Afrikaners, on the National Party".

They sat back for a long time, but eventually decided they were "of an African tribe" and could not sit back forever.

They were searching for a leader, which was evident in the song "De La Rey", Zuma said, speaking off the cuff.

"De la Rey, come and lead us, they are saying, 'we need a leader'."

He understood this because if he was feeling the same, he would be casting around for a new Shaka.

It was good that Afrikaners were trying to see how they could play a role, and dialogues such as Thursday's were important.

He appreciated the Afrikaner's honesty.

"When the Afrikaner says you are my friend, they mean it. When they say you are my enemy, they mean it," he said of the talks that would be closed to the media.

"We need to talk... it's the best thing we can do."

Zuma said he was heartened by what he saw at the private Afrikaner ranch Orania in the Northern Cape.

"If all communities could organise themselves like Orania, we will fight poverty," he said, with Orania leader Carel Boshoff in the room.

A conference organiser said Zuma's opening speech was expected to be "fuzzy" but a later address at 3.30pm after talks with the Afrikaans leaders, would get down to business.

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71627?oid=12...

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[daraj123]

4 all those saying whites stole land, u R dumb! SA is subsaharan africa, the only africans who can claim SA as their own R the koi&san, no one else. Some tribes even arrived after the dutch. Which blacks do you refer 2?There r no blacks in SA, bcause they all belong to their each unique tribe, language, culture So the next time any idion says whites stole the land ask them from which balck tribe? Idiots talk when they dont know anything. more blacks murdered each other in SA than whites ever did

[WorshipInTruth]

This man is right. The Boers are the only true white South Africans, the other whites such as the British Imperialists came only to conquer and they murdered and ravaged the white Boers. And yet these communist ANC fools (working with the British) run around shouting "Kill the Boer"?? If they were smart they would be in alliance with the boers and rebuilding their nation.

[drjmercay]

the comments on this thread are the most disgusting comments I have ever read. they are racist from both sides and show a fundamental ignorance of most who have commented.

[BlondyGirl9]

African is not a race people!!!!

[wolfieinu]

Well thanks for saying that we're real Africans Mr Zuma, but there are plenty of other white Africans as well, who don't carry two passports, etc. We're probably the most (in?)famous though I suppose.

[Xaymaicana]

@daraj123 say what you feel to say to make yourself feel better. Africa for AFRICANS. Africans = blacks. PERIOD.

[sprokiejd]

@Xaymaicana No, you are NOT welcome here (Africa)!! My skin is white, and I am from Africa, born and raised, so were my great, great, great grandfather! I am way more African than you will ever be!! Wannabe African!! So just because you are black, you think Africa belongs to you?? Ikona baba, stay in Canada!!

[Xaymaicana]

@sprokiejd LOL im not welcomed where? biatch please. my skin is black and africa is my homeland. who are YOU?

[MAZDAKPRODUCTION]

IT is ironic that wherever the white people have gone they manage to find savages and they steal the land because savages do not deserve to live. white people are such good people, its just that all other colors suck. NOW even this black guy is selling you the idea that the whites are original south Africans just like how Columbus discovered America and all the millions that lived there had not any clue or right of their own land. I say F... the warmongering whites who F... with the world

[sprokiejd]

@Xaymaicana you are not welcome here (Africa), so stay the f%$# away you dumb americunt!!