SA’s “Future President” Shoots from the Hip…and Nobody is Spared

Twenty-one year old Busi Skinn’e Mjiyakho has caught a lot of people’s attention with her three letters to black people, white people and the South African government (all published below) which she posted on Facebook this weekend. So who is Busi?

“I’m the future president of South Africa but for now I’m an (un)registered law student at the University of Cape Town (who is working on finding creative solutions to pay off my student debt),” she says. And she means it.

“The law faculty has given me permission to study this year while I attempt to find the money for last year’s fees. They also believe in my vision for presidency So it’s totally legal.”

Busi is a “Zulu girl from KwaZulu Natal who was raised by my Gogo and my two other guardians who just happen to be white. So I don’t have difficulty relating to people because of race. I have grown up ‘on both sides’ so to speak.”

Since posting her three letters the overwhelming response has been positive…although there has been some negative abuse hurled in her direction, but the student – who’s proud to have a very positive view of the world – says she’s not letting that get to her.

“I can’t let that stop me because my vision for South Africa is greater than my ego. If you don’t encounter any negativity or opposition, you’re clearly doing something wrong.”

Busi believes that “transformation needs to start in our homes and in our communities. We need to speak about our past in a manner that preaches ‘never again’ rather than ‘us vs them’.

Here are her three letters:

Dear White People:

You are not being punished. There isn’t a White Genocide Project. Get over yourselves. You still have your white privilege. Acknowledge your privilege. Understand your privilege. Accept your privilege. You can [spare] us your guilt because it’s not conducive to real transformation.

You still have a vote. You have everything you had before 1994 except the power to legally control and subject the majority to your weird superiority complexes.

Now jump on board; this isn’t an ‘us vs them’ thing. It’s a South African project. We can’t do this effectively without your support and cooperation.

We’re trying to build a nation that we can all be proud of. Sulking in a corner and mumbling about how grayyyt life is in Europe is not going to change a damn thing. If you’re not willing to contribute to the dialogue and have meaningful engagement I suggest that you book your flight now. I can even help you pack.

Dear Black People (South African):

No, black man you are not on your own, we live in South Africa. Our motto is “KE E: /XARRA //KE” which means ‘diverse people unite’ or ‘there is unity in diversity’.

Stop feeling so bloody entitled to everything! The government is not there to fund your lifestyle. You have more opportunities now than ever. Don’t waste them. Stop demanding free everything. Stop complaining about not having a job if you’ve never applied for one. Stop using race as a defence for all your personal failures that could have been prevented had you actually done something proactive.

Stop hating on our foreign brothers and sisters who have spotted the gap in the market and are here doing all the jobs you think you’re too good to do.

Democracy did not give you a free pass to be a lazy asshole.

Inherit your parents’ work ethic not their anger. If you’re not willing to add value to our nation I’ve got bad news because there is no Australia waiting for you.

You will never break the cycle of poverty if you look at your skin colour as your only attribute.

Being black is not a skill. It’s not a lottery ticket, nor is it VIP access. Your melanin does not write your exams for you. Get your act together.

Dear South African Government:

I know that running a country is not easy but you’re not helping yourselves here if you’re going to go about it this way. I can acknowledge all that good that you have done in the past 21 years and I know there’s still more to come.

Please remember what you fought for. Please remember why you joined the struggle.

Was it to live comfortable lifestyles while the rest of the country stays on that struggle tip? Are you not then creating a different type of elite whereby race isn’t the thing that divides us but wealth?

We, as the youth, are willing to get behind you and offer our support and do our bit for this country BUT not if this is the vision in mind.

We will not sit back and let you destroy when you have promised to build. We will not allow you to employ people who are not going to do their jobs properly.

Service delivery is our biggest downfall. Sort it out.

I am sick and tired of people who attribute all of my successes in life to the fact that I am black.

If things don’t change soon I can assure you that the number of occupations in the country will be on the rise. Parliament of South Africa siyeza.