@ Po, a very interesting comment. I actually want to to write a whole post on the identity of English speaking white South Africans some time.

But I think Indian and other South Africans now feel this same thing. Even Afrikaners are coming to this ‘sad’ party.

Funny, after apartheid, it seems that Afrikaners and English Saffas are closer than before.

“If i understand you correctly, you point out that black on black and black on white prejudice is as much a fact of life. Touché. We all suffer the malady of being human.”

Yes – that is part of what I’m trying to say. Also, that extreme racism and xenophobia is particular to context – being working class or poor for example. I think I said that better in other posts though, like this one.

http://mhambi.blogspot.com/2008/03/are-afrikaners-planets-worst-racists.html

“it would have been interesting if the present SA government has been held responsible for removal of the aliens in the movie, instead of a fall-back on past realities.”

Well my point is that the movie actually does do that. To me – the setting – where a company does the removal – is very modern SA. There is no big brother – all controlling state – like that we had during apartheid SA in the movie.

The forced removals are part and parcel of SA today as well. And the fact that the alines are removed 200km away is telling. Like the camps set up for refugees in current SA. Far from the towns.

During apartheid removals were often to palces just outside cities – because white SA wanted cheap labour.

What looks like a government spokesman in the movie is also black. So I don’t think the movie does just depict old realities.

I have not read Coetzee’s latest book, but I like your concept of ‘reflected pleasure’ through art in our alienation. I guess its one thing we can get out of it.

If i understand you correctly, you point out that black on black and black on white prejudice is as much a fact of life. Touché. We all suffer the malady of being human. In some of the reviews of District 9, which i have read here in Britain – all very positive – a point similar to yours is made in the suggestion that it would have been interesting if the present SA government has been held responsible for removal of the aliens in the movie, instead of a fall-back on past realities.

One last comment with respect to white South Africans experiencing themselves as aliens inside and outside the country. In his latest masterpiece, Summertime, J.M. Coetzee extends the concept of the alien Afrikaner even further into the realm of the family, the tribe, the self. I hope he wins the Booker prize for the third time. Coetzee’s success, if not the reality that he portrays, perhaps helps us, as District 9 does, to experience some measure of reflected pleasure in our cultural if not our personal alientation. Of wat praat ek alles.

I think that many Saffas, whatever their racial backgrounds must struggle with thoughts like this, like the Indian South AFricans, of course Akrikaners like you say, and what about “coconuts”?

In regard to South Africa’s present and future, I must admit that it is exceedingly difficult to analyze in a objective and up-to-date manner. It is almost second nature to accept potentially dated notions, rather than challenge them.

I think at the end of the day, whether it be politics or philosophy or both…, the journey of asking (and thinking about) questions provides the most insight. Not so much finding definitive answers to those questions.

But thanks again for the above.