Why punish the children of 2025 for the apartheid sins of their parents?
However, the programme is only for black, coloured or Indian employees. White employees' children are explicitly excluded.
It reminds me of the day I was chased out of the post office because the child in me was too naïve to see the 'whites only' notice. The door for coloured people was at the back.
It also reminded me of the time when I had to wait for the train as a student at the University of the Western Cape, but couldn't sit on the bench that had the words 'for whites only' written on it.
I vowed to myself that I would do everything in my power to prevent any child from being hurt like that again. If it hadn't been for a good Samaritan who took care of me when I was a poor student so that I could receive a bursary, I would not be in the position to write this article today.
In its defence, Bidvest states that the trust was established in 2003 as part of a corporate social investment structure that formed part of a consortium for black economic empowerment. They further argue that in accordance with the principles and philosophy of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003, the trust was established with the sole purpose of uplifting historically disadvantaged individuals who are employees of the Bidvest Group.
It has been in operation for 22 years and has been very successful in changing the lives of their employees and their families, states a release from the company's communications firm.
With regards to the success of the programme, I will not argue, and I want to give Bidvest credit for the fact that 22 years ago it was indeed important to uplift historically disadvantaged black people.
However, this is not what is being discussed here. On its website, the company states that they want to make a meaningful 'impact on society' in a way that is 'innovative' and that the company is 'influenced by the context within which it operates'. They want to do this in a 'unique and resilient' way within an adaptable structure.
The board members of Bidvest will agree with me that the circumstances today look significantly different than 22 years ago. After 30 years of a democratic order, the playing field is completely different.
Today you find poor children across a wide spectrum of South African society. It is no longer restricted to just black children. As vice-dean at the University of Stellenbosch's Faculty of Education, it was my task to administer bursaries. I am also involved in the Foundation for Empowerment through Afrikaans (Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans, SBA) Honours programme and Rapport's education bursary fund.
Over the past 20 years I have seen how our financial landscape has changed. Poverty knows – unlike 22 years ago – no colour. Students who are dependent on bursaries have increased among all families.
Therefore, no student should be disadvantaged. The only criterion should be whether the child qualifies for the bursary and whether or not their parents can afford their studies.
Also, the context in which the company currently operates differs from when the bursary scheme was established. Today, all employees can progress to the boardroom.
I would really like to know how Bidvest looks its staff in the eye knowing that the company has failed to help all the needy children. What impact does this have on healthy relationships in the boardroom when employees who earn the same do not receive equal treatment?
I acknowledge the terms of the trust that was established 22 years ago, but surely a company that prides itself on being adaptable and innovative could have made a plan to start a new bursary scheme from which all its employees can benefit?
Nelson Mandela once said: 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.' These words of Madiba emphasise the transformative potential of education and highlight the critical role that education plays in promoting social, economic and political change. It is time for all of us – including Bidvest – to act on Madiba's words.
Therefore, I could not remain silent when Bidvest ran a bursary programme 'only for black, coloured and Indian' children. It brings back all the pain and sorrow of the past.
Children of 2025 had no part in South Africa's apartheid past. Why punish them for the sins of their forefathers?
All children have dreams. All children are born in innocence. It is adults who raise children to be racists. After 30 years of democracy, it's time for us to banish words like whites, blacks, coloureds and Indians from our vocabulary. They do not belong in a democratic dispensation.
According to their website, Bidvest deems all forms of discrimination based on race as illegal and they will not tolerate it. Furthermore, the company says: 'We do the right thing, even when no one else is looking.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Botswana Issues Apology to Bridgette Motsepe Over False Corruption Claims
In a significant development marking a shift in regional diplomacy and justice, the government of Botswana has formally apologised to South African businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe for false accusations of corruption and money laundering that surfaced in 2019. The retraction comes after Botswana's High Court confirmed last month that the claims were baseless and made without credible evidence. Motsepe, a well-known mining entrepreneur and philanthropist, was thrust into a political and financial scandal six years ago when Botswana investigator Jako Hubona alleged she was involved in laundering funds stolen from the Bank of Botswana. The accusations went further, suggesting that she co-signed accounts used for the alleged movement of illicit money and was even involved in financing terrorism. Those claims, echoed at the time by the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime as well as the country's intelligence services, caused diplomatic strain between Botswana and South Africa, and severely impacted Motsepe's reputation in international business circles. In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday evening, the Botswana government officially distanced itself from the allegations and took responsibility for the damage caused. 'The allegations made by Jako Hubona against Bridgette Motsepe and supported by the government bodies he mentioned are entirely false and were made recklessly,' the statement read. 'The government of Botswana, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services and Mr Hubona unconditionally retract their allegations and apologise to Mrs Motsepe for making them.' This public apology signals a clear departure from the previous administration's posture. Under President Duma Boko, elected earlier this year on a platform of legal reform and regional cooperation, Botswana has moved to restore credibility in its institutions and rebuild relationships in the Southern African Development Community. President Boko's administration described the saga as a failure of both process and ethics. 'The new human rights-based government of Botswana under the leadership of advocate Duma Boko reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law and assures the public that fabrications of the nature that have occurred will never recur,' the statement added. Motsepe, who is also the sister-in-law of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has not yet issued a formal response, but sources close to her confirmed she is considering legal action for damages caused by the years of reputational harm. Political analysts suggest that the apology is not only a legal and diplomatic necessity but also a strategic move by Botswana to stabilise relations with its neighbour amid broader efforts to attract foreign investment and rebuild institutional trust. South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation welcomed the apology, noting that the matter had weighed heavily on bilateral relations in recent years. 'We trust this marks a new chapter of openness and mutual respect between our two countries,' the department said.
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
Botswana Issues Apology to Bridgette Motsepe Over False Corruption Claims
In a significant development marking a shift in regional diplomacy and justice, the government of Botswana has formally apologised to South African businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe for false accusations of corruption and money laundering that surfaced in 2019. The retraction comes after Botswana's High Court confirmed last month that the claims were baseless and made without credible evidence. Motsepe, a well-known mining entrepreneur and philanthropist, was thrust into a political and financial scandal six years ago when Botswana investigator Jako Hubona alleged she was involved in laundering funds stolen from the Bank of Botswana. The accusations went further, suggesting that she co-signed accounts used for the alleged movement of illicit money and was even involved in financing terrorism. Those claims, echoed at the time by the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime as well as the country's intelligence services, caused diplomatic strain between Botswana and South Africa, and severely impacted Motsepe's reputation in international business circles. In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday evening, the Botswana government officially distanced itself from the allegations and took responsibility for the damage caused.'The allegations made by Jako Hubona against Bridgette Motsepe and supported by the government bodies he mentioned are entirely false and were made recklessly,' the statement read. 'The government of Botswana, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services and Mr Hubona unconditionally retract their allegations and apologise to Mrs Motsepe for making them.' This public apology signals a clear departure from the previous administration's posture. Under President Duma Boko, elected earlier this year on a platform of legal reform and regional cooperation, Botswana has moved to restore credibility in its institutions and rebuild relationships in the Southern African Development Community. President Boko's administration described the saga as a failure of both process and ethics. 'The new human rights-based government of Botswana under the leadership of advocate Duma Boko reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law and assures the public that fabrications of the nature that have occurred will never recur,' the statement who is also the sister-in-law of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has not yet issued a formal response, but sources close to her confirmed she is considering legal action for damages caused by the years of reputational harm. Political analysts suggest that the apology is not only a legal and diplomatic necessity but also a strategic move by Botswana to stabilise relations with its neighbour amid broader efforts to attract foreign investment and rebuild institutional trust. South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation welcomed the apology, noting that the matter had weighed heavily on bilateral relations in recent years. 'We trust this marks a new chapter of openness and mutual respect between our two countries,' the department said.
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Consumer take-home pay holds steady amid inflation and economic uncertainty
Consumer take-home pay, tracked in the BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index (BTPI), held steady in June 2025, after three months of moderation, due to the favourable inflation rate and expectations of an interest rate cut on July 31. Image: IOL / AI Consumer take-home pay, tracked in the BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index (BTPI), held steady in June 2025, after three months of moderation, due to the favourable inflation rate and expectations of an interest rate cut. However, while average salaries might increase by 5% this year based on current conditions, future earnings and unemployment levels may be adversely impacted by external factors impacting on the economy, an economist has warned. 'The nominal average take-home pay of R17 310 in June 2025 declined marginally by 0.1% on May's R17 325. However, it was still well above the R15 514 level a year earlier,' said BankservAfrica's Head of Stakeholder Engagements Shergeran Naidoo. He said the economic outlook had deteriorated in recent months even though the first six months of data from the index signaled that 2025 would, on average, be a good salary year. Inflation adjusted take-home pay moderated marginally by 0.2% month-on-month to R14 804 in June, compared to R14 827 in May, but was still notably up on year-ago levels. 'The significant moderation in consumer inflation in 2024 has had a positive impact on the purchasing power of salary earners and the scenario continues into 2025, with the latest headline CPI figure at only 3% for June 2025,' said Independent Economist Elize Kruger. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading After challenging years for salary earners, due to the sluggish local economy and the elevated inflation rate, 2024 turned out to be the best year since 2015, with an average real salary increase of 1.5%. 'With inflation forecast to average 3.5% in 2025 - unlike 4.4% in 2024 – and the broader industry suggesting an average salary increase above 5%, 2025 will be the second consecutive year of a real increase in earnings,' said Kruger. She said the favourable inflation environment had created ample scope for the South Africa Reserve Bank to cut interest rates further, in addition to supporting salary earners' consumption expenditure and softening the impact of global headwinds on the local economy. 'Carpe Diem Research Services forecasts a 25 basis percentage points cut at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting tomorrow, July 31, 2025,' said Kruger. She said this was likely to be the final cut in the current downward cycle. She said that even though 2025 had turned out to be a volatile year so far, real consumption expenditure had held up well, which was encouraging for an economy heavily reliant on consumer spending. 'Even with confidence levels slipping in the first quarter, the level of real final consumption expenditure by households was 2.8% higher compared to a year earlier. Early indications from StatsSA indicate that the performance continued in the second quarter, with real retail sales in the first five months of the year up by 4.3%,' she said. However, there had been downward revisions to growth prospects - locally and globally - and high levels of uncertainty, fueling low confidence and a pause on investment decisions. 'This could affect employment levels and earnings in the coming months, in an economy with an already high unemployment rate of 32.9%,' said Kruger. Additionally, tensions between the US and South Africa, coupled with uncertainty over the tariff landscape beyond August 1, presented a growing concern for the economy and its trade outlook, she said. Visit:
