Opinion - It is self-evident that the race bogey still haunts South Africans even after more than 24 years of democracy.
Despite all the progress made to promote a non-racial society, it survives and continues to bedevil relationships, all of which is concerning, yet understandable when one looks at our painful history.
The enforced separation of people according to race over many decades was so pervasive and deep-rooted, it left lasting scars on the psyches of millions of people.
For example, an Indian South African under apartheid was invariably born in an Indian hospital, lived in an Indian “group area”, went to an Indians-only school, carried an Indian ID card and when eventually called to rest, was probably buried in a cemetery specially designated for Indians.
The same applied to other communities too.
Contact and interaction between race groups was minimal which served only to foster unnecessary fears, suspicions and negative stereotypes.
This is exactly what EFF leader Julius Malema was exploiting when he spewed out his incendiary anti-Indian invective at a youth rally in Klerksdorp recently.
It was a blatantly racist and reckless attack based on his obvious ignorance about the community and its laudable role in the fight against oppression.
That is not to say there is no racism in the Indian community.
Of course it exists, as it does in all other communities, and we need to confront the ugly reality head-on.
We see it rear its head when people employ domestic workers or gardeners in their homes but fail to treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve.
We are blind to racism in our midst when workers are exploited in our shops and places of business.
We hear it daily in conversations when people of other race groups are referred to derogatively as “those people” or “that nation”.
We continue to perpetuate racism with insulting and degrading racist jokes and postings on social media.
If we pretend the destructive attitudes are not prevalent in the community, we are deluding ourselves.
An old biblical quote advises people to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” which simply means people should look at treating one another as they would like to be treated.
The only way to react to the Julius Malemas of the world is to prove them wrong.
And that can best be achieved by accepting our own failings and committing ourselves to creating a stable non-racial country for all citizens - whatever their race.