RaDical MiDDle - ColdType

Radical Middle | 135
protect the whites from the suffering which was their due.
Blood had flowed in the townships; now it must flow in the
suburbs to even things out. I mustn’t come with white man’s
talk about systems and structures and boring technicalities;
liberation must come and oppression must stop and I must just
“take my government and go, go”.
I grasped a lull to sneak a word in and said: “You know who
you guys should blame for your oppression?” The predictable
roar went out: “The whites!” I said “No, yourselves, and
if this is the best you can offer you’ll be oppressed forever”.
Pandemonium. Blood vessels popping like firecrackers at Guy
fawkes.
Twenty minutes later, proceedings over, there’s tea and
biscuits and everybody’s moved out of political mode and back
into normality. They’re swopping sorrowful tales about how
so-and-so’s niece was raped and somebody else’s neighbour’s
son was press-ganged and how badly the restoration of order
is needed.
There you have it, I tell Madikolo. That’s why people need
power over their lives. Her, too – give her effective citizenship
and she’ll be a force for stability like all those other mothers
and aunts and fathers. Madikolo laughs. She wants change, she
says, change, to the blazes with stability.
That’s what she says but she’s fooling herself. When she
can cast a ballot that matters she’ll cast a ballot for calm. She
might rant over dinner tables but at the voting booth she’ll be
thinking of peace. Or if she wants to play Warrior Queen, that’s
fine. Just let her get Warrior Queendom past voters, that’s all.
“Hey, remember chaos? The whites never had their time of
chaos. Vote for me so we can put the suburbs in chaos.”
I addressed Manas Buthelezi’s diocese, gentle men in dark
suits, full to the brim with politeness and the Good Book. Half
of them nodded off, wondering what my theorising had to do
with the Word of the Lord, but they all woke up and clapped
fit to burst at the end. That must be the ultimate black custom;
make the guest feel good no matter what. Whereas among the