SOUTH AFRICA:Tens of thousands of South African whites are living in extreme poverty, writes Bill Corcoran in Pretoria
THE EAGLE'S Nest squatter camp near Pretoria is one of a growing number of informal settlements in South Africa that reflect the stark reality of life in today's rainbow nation.
What makes this relatively new squatter camp — and a growing number of others — different to the hundreds of established ones that have existed on the outskirts of the country's cities and towns for decades, is that all of its impoverished residents are white.
During the apartheid era there was no such place as a white squatter camp, as the system of racial supremacy used to oppress the black population ensured no matter what circumstances befell a Caucasian, they rarely became destitute.
Just 14 years since the racist system's demise and extreme poverty is no longer the preserve of South Africa's black, coloured and Indian ethnic groups.
Solidarity, an independent union whose members are predominately white, claims the number of desperately poor whites has hit alarming levels - since 1998 it has grown by 150 per cent says the union — and the government is turning a blind eye to it.
Dawie Theron, the executive secretary of Solidarity's Helping Hand Fund, explained that over the past few years tens of thousands of whites have ended up living in the type of settlements the black, coloured and Indian communities were forced to live in under apartheid.
He says when South Africa's rainbow government introduced its Affirmative Action policy in the mid 1990s as a means to address the employment imbalances created by the racially biased system, many white people struggled to make the transition.
"Afrikaners were the ethnic group most affected by affirmative action as many worked as civil servants under the old regime. Once that changed many were ill-equipped to enter the private sector, unlike their English speaking counterparts who were more independent.
"Now we have a situation where those who have been struggling in the post-apartheid era are hitting rock bottom. The government is more focused on the poor blacks because their numbers are so huge. But the situation for many whites is also becoming critical," he said.
Although accurate figures in relation to extreme poverty among whites are unavailable, the latest employment statistics show that some 430,000 whites are unemployed.
Solidarity says many of these people cannot afford houses because they can't access the government schemes aimed at helping the millions of homeless blacks, coloured and Indians on the housing waiting lists.
The union also says that rather than increasing support for organisations assisting needy whites in line with the increase in white poverty, the government is doing the opposite.
"Social spending has adopted a racial tint. The Gauteng Department of Social Development has already announced it is phasing out subsidies to welfare organisations that assist needy whites," said union spokesperson Dirk Hermann.
Last month ANC president Jacob Zuma was taken to a informal settlement outside Pretoria called Bethlehem by Solidarity, where the residents are white.
Expressing surprise at the level of poverty among the people living there, he said: "I did not think it was at this level. I've heard about it, but I can't claim that I've seen it." Solidarity estimates that around Pretoria alone there are 38 squatter camps where the residents are predominately white, and they range in size from 40 or 50 people to a few hundred strong.
The Eagle's Nest is located on a tract of private land about an hour's drive from Pretoria and its residents come from all around the country to the area because it is close to a major urban centre.
Yvonne Pienaar (53) and her husband Nicky have lived at the camp for over a year in a large tent no bigger than 6m sq. The majority of her neighbours live in rickety wooden shacks that have a decidedly unhealthy look to them. She says life is difficult because there is no electricity, hot water or a sewage system, but "we have no where else to go".
"Four years ago we lived in a flat, but my husband had a problem at work and we couldn't afford to pay the rent. We moved around after that and now we are here, where we pay 360 rand (around €30) per month. We would move if we could but this is the best we can do at the moment," she said.
Now the cost of living is becoming a big issue. The prices of fuel and basic food items have risen dramatically in South Africa over the past 12 months.
Cusatu, the main union, has already mobilised over the price increases to highlight the plight of the poor and protests that began last month in Limpopo province are expected to continue around the country in the months ahead.
"All these rising costs mean we can't afford to move to a better place. Even though Nicky works as a driver he only earns a small income. It is better to stay here where we only pay a low rent," concludes Yvonne Pienaar.