South Africans

[SecondhandRose]

This is a difficult one, I am bound to offend someone. White south Africans, do you think some seem quite dismissive/downright rude? She ducks for cover.

yes but I'm sure some black ones are, some white British people and some black British people. Some chinese people are, some australians, some eskimos.... need I go on?!! Bit of a silly question IMO

have only ever met one south african, he was quite a gentleman, and am amazing lover!
not rude and ceratinly not dismissive.

Hi SecondhandRose, I know lots of white South Africans and without exception they are charming, clever, funny and generous. However, not sure if this counts as a racial stereotype as I also know stacks of gorgeous people from other countries and with different skin colours, and am also certain there are rude South Africans just as there are rude Britons. Your experience is obviously different - what happened?

yes, but I'm not asking people's opinions on those people.

Perhaps it's isolated then, I have a business and I am dealing with a south African couple at the moment. They have told me they are used to having staff looking after them and I wondered if they felt they could talk down to me like maybe they do with their staff. Just wondered if anyone had similar experiences.

You just can't generalise like that about any nationality/colour.

It's not that simple.

I appreciate that but there aren't many of us that have staff these days are there?

Sorry, should have said that it's staff at home that they've got cooking, cleaning etc.

I suspect you have just been unlucky.

I have loads of South African relatives (was born there, but have lived most of my life in Scotland) and go over regularly, but haven't come across the rudeness you describe.

Having said that, my maternal grandparents, when visiting us one Christmas, did famously once shake the breadcrumby table cloth out all over the kitchen floor, not even thinking that my Mum would have to sweep it all up as we didn't have a servant to do it for us.

Message withdrawn

do you mean that the SA's with the attitude cook and clean in someones house?

You can't generalise about a whole nation of people on the basis of two people you are working with at the moment!

This thread could almost be designed to wind people up.

...are lovely

It's because I can't tell you the whole story it's not coming out right, will discuss it instead. Thanks for the posts.

Yes they can be. The worst racism I ever encountered while living in Southern Africa came from White South Africans.

When travelling in South African we got quite a few lifts from White South africans. One in particular still sticks in my mind ot this day.

The girl I was travelling with worked in an SOS Village in Harare. She was the only white member of staff, and all the people living at the village were black. I on the other hand worked at a very multiracial school.

While travelling down to Cape Point in the back of a pick-up truck (with our bikes chucked in there with us). The couple (also sat in the back) asked us if we worked with Black people. Both of us said yes, and my friend elobrated saying how she was the only non-black person there.

They were visibly shocked and one said "and you actually want to work there, I couldn't possibly work somewhere with no white peole, and take orders from a black man". We were both speechless and spent the rest of the journey in near silence.

On the other hand, we met some absoultey WONDERFUL South Africans while travelling out there. Friendly, courtieous and welcomed us with open arms.

And all of our suppliers (atm) are South Africans, lovely friendly people. Oh and the assistant houseparent when I was at school was a South African. Lovely lady,although I remember at first she did seem rude/dismissive but (as with many parts of the world) understandings/reactions to different situations vary and once she adapted we all loved her

SHR, why can't you tell us the whole story? If you can be identified by someone on MN, surely your first post is enough to cause trouble?

possibly she realised she'd started a potentially incendiary thread and decided to nip it in the bud ... ?

anyone can be rude/dismissive

Have you ever been to South Africa? Almost everyone there has maids/gardeners/cooks/nannies (especially in Gauteng). It's a way of life. When we first arrived there, we bought a house and when we moved our stuff in, a lady and a man came and introduced themselves and explained that they 'came with the house'!. They had lived there for the best part of their working lives. My favourite aunt has had the same maid and gardener since her children were born (over 40 years) and they are very much part of the family.

Yes, I'm sure some south africans talk down to their staff just as many bosses in this country talk down to people working for them.

even we had a maid and gardener in Zim - and we weren't that well off - pretty average really

I have a window cleaner - does that count as staff?

They were really, really racist. Saying awful stuff, talking down to me etc. I don't type for a fight ladies.

Have to say that all south africans i have ever met have been really lovely people, i'm sure there are rude ones also!

Twas a silly question wasn't it? I think you realise that now though.

You're discussion wants to be more about the particular couple you are referring to rather than their skin colour and nationality.

No it's more about how racist they are and if that is common in SA. I don't feel I asked a silly question at all, I've definitely asked sillier especially the one about washing the inside of your fanny as well as the outside!

I knew a white South African girl at University and she was a complete bitch. After spending her summer at home she came back and regaled us with the story of how she had fired a maid (black - do I need to say that?) for breaking a plate. She said the maid had been practically down on hands and knees begging not to be fired as her family were depending on her wages. She was laughing as she told us the story, mimicking the girl, and saying what a power kick it was.

I thought she was despicable and told her so - as did everyone else in the room at the time. It never occured to me to make assumptions about any other white South Africans based on my experience with just one.

Oh god you're right! that one was sillier