San: We are abused, not lazy

The San people are not lazy, as often portrayed, but are abused and exploited on an industrial scale.

This according to Richard Kxao, part of a San community based in the Tsumkwe area, who said there is no substantive employment for the San in the vicinity and even if they get odd jobs, they are exploited.

“The San are not lazy people. When we find a job, we are abused and people treat us as if we are retarded small children,” he said.

“When you have agreed on a salary, they will change it along the way and at month end, they give you half or a fraction of that. Some would say they don’t have enough money now while others would take out N$20 and say ‘go buy yourself a nippie' [a small bottle of hard liquor, usually 200ml],” he said.

He added that there are instances when they agree to work for groceries, including home-brews and tobacco, but that does not mean that that is what they prefer to be compensated with, but rather shows that they are willing to compromise.

“Now, people are saying we like to drink, but in all communities you find people who drink,” he said.

Pushed out of schools

The community also complained that their learners are deliberately pushed out of Tsumkwe schools that are allegedly teeming with learners from other communities from as far as Otjiwarongo and Okahandja.

Kxao, a leader in the Aasvoelnes community, was accompanying several children - who have been out of school for two years because of a lack of space - to Tsumkwe. He alleged that there is a deliberate agenda by political and business leaders to paint the San people as "lazy", with "no interest in education".

Tsumkwe Secondary School principal Christof Ngavetene said the notion that the San are ‘stupid’ and ‘unteachable’ people is an absolute myth.

“Academically, there is no difference between the San and other learners. Last year, we had four learners who scored 25 and more points and four of those learners are San learners. We even have one learner who scored 36 points in the last examinations. They are smart,” he said.

Ngavetene also confirmed that the majority of the learners at the school are not from Tsumkwe and the vicinity, but from as far as Okahandja, Grootfontein and Omatako.

No documents

Teachers at Tsumkwe Secondary told Namibian Sun they do not follow up when San learners do not report to school because they live “deep in villages” where there is no reception, and there is a problem with transport.

This despite government buses being available to collect learners from various villages in the area.

Part of Kxao’s delegation of hopeful learners - walking and hitchhiking to Tsumkwe on Sunday, 14 January - included two grade eight learners aged 21 and 23 who have no birth certificates. The lack of national documents makes it hard for the community to access education or welfare grants.

“Here with me are seven children who have passed grade seven here at Aasvoelnes and they [were meant to go to] Tsumkwe Secondary School, but every time we go there, we are told the school is fully booked and we have to bring them back. They are also chased back home if they have no school uniform or money for school fees,” Kxao said.

Nothing in their heads

According to him, they are told “the San don’t have anything in their heads, they are dumb” and therefore the learners, when denied access to school, also lose interest in developing themselves, and rather opt to get married.

ⱡoma Kao (23), an orphan, decided against school when he was denied access after trying for two years, and returned home to marry Iluce Kxao, settling down at Aasvoelnes where they live with Kao’s older brother.

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