Don't trash the count because of its leaders South African’ were to ask me ‘whether he or she should sy or eave, my bitter advice would bet go. For the JForeseeable future now, if you want to live ‘your life io the full and with some satisfac ‘Hon and usefulness, endif youcan stand the ‘oss, f pou can amputate yourself then go.” = Breyten Breytenbach in an open letter to Nelson, Mandela published in Harper's ‘Magazine, December 248. Dear Broyten ‘You aredead wrong, my old rien. Very few South Africans who have left their country live their lives "to the fulland with some satisfaction and usefulness”, ‘You should know: If your life during your exile of more than four decades had been so full and useful and gave you such ‘deep satisfaction, you would not allow our country to stil freak your Heart as it clearly does, judged by your piece. You ‘Would have become a European years ago. ‘That's the thing with Africa if youhave ‘oven half a heart, she insists on remaining a parto it, wherever you are. It is not only completely poseibe to live ‘full and useful lit in the South Africa of smust tell you this terrible thing, my [ old and revered leader: a young > Canada, I would simply be another boring White man worried about his receding hai line the rust on his ear and his golf handle cap, ‘You come close to the one thing I have often warned against in my columns and writings: rubbishing the country because you dislike its rulors. As [have said hefore, ‘there are millions of Americans who are deeply ashamod of and outraged with the residency of George Bush, but few if any ‘who trash their nation and country because of that. in your piece for Harper's, you talk about your address to the Time of the Writer Festival in Durban last year. I was ‘there, remember? Tt was a strongly worted speech you made, and net wall received by ‘most in the audience, especially not by ANC supporters. ‘Afterwards, a newspaper reporter asked me what I thought of your speech. I was quoted as saying I thought you wore brave to voice such strong criticisms of the gov- ernment and the ruling elite at that time ‘and before that audience. I said I agreed ‘with most of your erticism of the conduct of the ruling parts. But added that I thought that if you had been spending more time in the country, {CIS Communiéation Centre: The Star: January 08, 2008 C ry today, itis indeed easior to do it here than ‘m, say France or the US (where you spend so much tine), or Australia, Canada or the United Kingdom, other favourites among ‘white South Africans. They'rea bit shorton passion in those places. [oti regard itasa privilege tohave been born in South Africa in this era. Our eartt festhuman ancestors rst developed culture ‘and spirituality here. And it was to this ‘place that representatives of those humans ‘who le the continent more than 70000 ago came back almost four centuries ago to ‘eventually make a peace with those who hhad never left. : (Our defeat of the apartheid system: the peaceful acceptance of a transition of ower by the white minority after centuries Sf domination; and the creation of a proper domocracy with guaranteed individual free dons of movement, assoefation and speech, ‘were achievements that inspired the world. ‘and gave them hope. Our liberation was one of the most spectacular, iconie moments in bbuman histors find it exhilarating and inspiring to be able to contribute to this society asia descen: ant of French Huguenots, German set ters, Khoikhoi aborigines and slaves from the fadian subcontinent. In Australia or you would have been more optimistic: Twant to repeat that after reading this lat est piece, although you yourself aclmawl edge tt: “I don’t get to go there vary often any more, and realise the extent to which ‘anno longer able to read the environment instinctively” you write. Correct. If you were living here, you would hava shared my optimism and hope about the developments in the ruling party at and since Polokwane. We're going to see real democracy again this year share your outrage at the epidemie of ‘violence and erime in the comtry. But owe Violence and crime are not ANC problems or black problems, they are South African problems. The violators, murderers and rapists are not of particular race of ‘e20up or political persuasion, they are part of all of us; they are products of how we hhave lived and treated each other over ‘many generations. Ifa young South African were toask mie ‘whether he or she should stay or eave, my advice would be to stay and help Gt for a Detter society to help build a more hopeftl future and becomea more complete human being. Don't allow bad politicians to drive YoU our of the country of your heart ‘Koop the faith, my Broer