'Your department’s mandate was clear, namely, to facilitate with them our constitutional incorporation. A quarter of a century later and not a single Khoi-San leader or community recognised. What’s wrong with Cogta?’ Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers.
Dear Minister Hlabisa, when did it start to go wrong with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs?
Our future looked bright in 1999 when the great President Mandela established the National Khoi-San Council.
Your department’s mandate was clear, namely, to facilitate with them our constitutional incorporation. A quarter of a century later and not a single Khoi-San leader or community recognised. What’s wrong with Cogta?
Although we were the first to bear the brunt of the brutal colonial onslaught, we are the last to be considered. Time after time, a new minister would be appointed to look anew at our plight and drag out the process like your predecessor, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has. What’s wrong with Cogta?
In the meantime, many of our leaders who have been in our Struggle since the dawn of democracy have died: from Paramount Chief Daniel Kanyiles in 2003 to Dr. William Langeveldt this year without enjoying the liberating sense of mission accomplished. What’s wrong with Cogta?
Poor excuses have been thrown in our faces, the favourite one being: “You’re too divided among yourselves.” What a laugh! Who’s talking? Obviously, there will be differences of opinion and robustness within a nation consisting of five major groupings: the San/Bushmen, Nama, Griqua, Korana, and Cape Khoi. Weak rationalisation, therefore, won't cover up your department's unwillingness. What’s wrong with Cogta?
I can imagine the ongoing narrative in your inner circle and corridor of power: “Those people just have to be patient.” Patient? Act 3 of 2019 still hasn’t been implemented because, somewhere along the line, Cogta has messed up.
So I respectfully ask you again, honourable Minister Hlabisa: What is wrong with Cogta?
* Dr Willa Boezak, Stellenbosch.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media
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