DURBAN - Oh, what do you do with an overgrown kid who’s rich and powerful – and thus able to help get our country out of its economic mess – but thinks and says highly objectionable things about his fellow black people?
Johann Rupert, the “godfather of the Stellenbosch mafia”, who’s one of our biggest single taxpayers, offended many people with his arrogant and bigoted remarks during a rare live interview. He later realised his mistake and apologised for blaming the victim by implying black people were less “driven” and preferred nightclubs instead of studying and saving “like crazy” and offending other Zulus, Vendas and Shangaans with quips he made.
After cooling down following that interview on Monday, I remembered something profound that, disappointed as I was, I had to agree with that Mr “White Monopoly Capital” said: We have to start talking instead of screaming at each other.
It’s good that he’s finally joined, or made attempts to join, the national healing conversation, but his tone and approach was wrong.
Another valid point was that something needed to be done about our economy. Otherwise one of his friends, the International Monetary Fund’s Christine Lagarge, would pay us a visit to bail us out in exchange for a huge chunk of our newfound freedom.
The wounds are still festering. I’m not being funny, but please, sir, leave maverickism to Julius Malema and stand-up comedy to Trevor Noah.