Cape Town - While South African billionaire businessman Johann Rupert was slammed by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for being "racist" during a recent interview, many black South Africans agreed with Rupert.
The chairman of Swiss-based luxury-goods company Richemont and SA-based Remgro group was a guest on PowerFM's annual Chairman’s Conversations. The interview left South Africans divided on Tuesday.
Rupert was asked to respond to allegations that he was an apartheid beneficiary who was now a central figure of "white monopoly capital”. He denied that his father’s empire benefited from apartheid.
The interview took a controversial turn when he said he was born in a poor Afrikaner generation that built itself through saving instead of consuming.
"That's the reason. In a sense, the Afrikaner was downtrodden. The poor white question, but they were driven. They studied like crazy, they saved like crazy. They didn't go and buy BMWs and hang around at Taboo or The Sands [upmarket clubs] all the time," he said.
While a large number of social media users condemned Rupert's comments, many people supported his views, especially with regard to financial wisdom and generational wealth.
In many Townships blacks can't even finish the tenders to pave the streets, they buy cars and spend money on booze and women, #JohannRupert
I have to agree with Mr Rupert on that 1
— Mfana Pitori (@DempaNapster) December 5, 2018
And when Uncle #JohannRupert tells it like it is we call him racist.
— 2019*VoteForChange (@_Dineo_M) December 5, 2018
#JohannRupert told blacks the truth. BMW, Alcohol, Taboo are reality, hate him for this truth
— Rabelani (@MuambiVharabs) December 5, 2018
You're touched but what #JohannRupert said was true. Financial literacy is what we need. People can't even finish the jobs from tenders they get but they out here buying AMG's and clubbing.
— #DoSomethingForNothing (@PercivalTogara) December 5, 2018
In as much as I disliked #Rupert's tone when he referred to Africans as blacks, we don't hv the mentality of building generational wealth. Fancy cars + parties are our thing when we hv money. Let's clean our house first to earn respect from #Rupert. #RupertOnPower @imanrappetti
— Terence Leluma (@PokaneLeluma) December 5, 2018