Eugene Rangayah
March 2, 2011

I am not sure about the source of the information entitled Jews in South Africa. Especially with regards to point 3, which clearly, in my opinion, is aimed at marginalising the involvement of Muslims in the anti-apartheid struggle. The comparison made is with regards to the Muslim population in the Cape region. One would have to understand which race group makes up that population in order to understand their perspective. That region’s Muslim population is made up of the “Coloured/Mixed Race” or “Cape Malay” race group. This race group has had an association with the Afrikaaners, which goes back centuries! In point of fact, most of the Coloured people who I have encountered, often associate themselves with their Afrikaaner heritage(from a race perspective) rather than their African heritage. At times referring to themselves as Akrikaaners, based on Afrikaans being the first language.
In order for one to gain a full perspective on the Muslim involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle you would need to consider other race groups as well. In the Indian community in South Africa, over 80% of the anti-apartheid activists were Muslims. Look up the following people: Ismail Kathrada, Ismail Meer, Fathima Meer, Ahmed Kathrada, Yusuf Dadoo, Yusuf Cachalia, I could go on listing names.
At the end of the day, what is more important, is that people regardless of religion or race, took the initiative to join the struggle to oppose Apartheid.

Eugene Rangayah
March 2, 2011

Further to my comment above, one also has to acknowledge that Jews were regarded as White in Apartheid South Africa and enjoyed the benefits afforded to them as White South Africans. Some chose to oppose it, who have been duly honoured, and some chose to ride the wave of these benefits.

Grant
March 3, 2011

Correct – Jews were regarded as white in South Africa and did enjoy all the privileges. What made their sacrifices even more remarkable was that they put themselves at risk and all the privileges at risk to fight a fight where they were not victims themselves.
The “Coloreds” and Indians were a disadvantaged community, so they were fighting for themselves with self interest at stake.
What made Jewish sacrifice so remarkable was that they had nothing to gain, and everything to lose, and still they participated at 25 times their proportion to the white community. Remarkable! If they had fought at a rate of twice their proportion to the population, that would have been remarkable by itself, but 25 times. Wow!

Eugene Rangayah
March 8, 2011

I appreciate that White South Africans, who chose to join the struggle had everything to lose. That is not what I dispute about the article. The article, in my opinion, does a direct comparison between Muslim and Jewish participation in the anti-apartheid movement, resulting in the Muslim involvement being marginalised. Why does it not measure Hindu, Buddhist or Christian involvement? I do not think that this forum, should be used as an instrument to spruce up anyone’s involvement in the anti-apartheid movement at the expense of others. If the intention was to highlight the contribution of the Jewish community, then that’s fine, as it is the Litvak forum, but definitely not at the expense of the Muslims or any other religious sect.