By Francis Quamina Farrier

THERE was no Christmas cheer for the children of South Africa for decades during the period of Apartheid, when the minority white-ruled government of that wealthy country of gold and diamonds, oppressed the black majority of the population. It was the period when in South Africa, Santa Claus forgot all the little black boys and girls. It was during the decades of apartheid when blacks and whites were officially kept apart. While the white minority enjoyed the best that the country had to offer, enjoying the good life, the majority-black citizens of South Africa were treated less than second-class in their own country. For example, there were “Whites Only” signs posted in many public places such as parks and washrooms. Many countries around the world, Guyana included severed diplomatic and other relations with South Africa. The United Nations expelled it as a member. After a long and bloody struggle, Apartheid was dismantled in 1991 and democracy returned to that country.

During the most depressing years for the black South Africans, the white minority government, with all their military might – guns, tear-gas, bombs, fighter jets – which were available and used to keep the black citizens in subjection, Guyana was a friend and supporter of the oppressed masses. Like the adults, the black children of South Africa suffered during the years of Apartheid, when Christmas for them, was just another day in their miserable lives; when Santa Claus never visited them at Christmas time.

Guyana and many other countries were not silent or inactive about that horrible situation, especially when over 60 unarmed black children were gunned down by the white police during a peaceful demonstration in what became known internationally as “The Sharpeville Massacre”.

Like many countries around the world, Guyana became very involved with the struggle by the Black South Africans for their freedom and gave financial and other tactical support to the anti-Apartheid leaders and freedom fighters. Some of the leaders were made “Honorary Guyanese” and issued Guyana passports for them to travel abroad to attend anti-Apartheid meetings since their government did not issue passports to the black citizens who were in a way, not even bona fide citizens. They were not even permitted to vote in their country’s general elections. They had no representative in the country’s parliament.

Cuba which was very supportive of the black people of South Africa and other countries in Southern Africa, sent military personnel to fight alongside the freedom fighters.
President Forbes Burnham made the Timehri Airport available for Cuban planes to stop and refuel before continuing the long flight over the South Atlantic to Southern Africa.

Christmas, as the rest of the world knew it, was not experienced and enjoyed by the black Children of South Africa at that time. The fight to end Apartheid was also at a cultural level. After the ban on his books was lifted by the South African government, Guyanese author of “To Sir, With Love”, E.R Braithwaite applied for and was issued a special visitor’s visa as an “honorary white”. The highly respected international Guyanese author then paid a visit to South Africa. While there, he secretly interacted with the black South Africans, and from his findings he wrote the Book “Honorary White”, exposing many details about the sufferings of the black South Africans. Another high-profile Guyanese of international standing, Plaisance-born superstar Eddy Grant, composed the anti-apartheid song, “Johanna Gimme Hope”, which was a cry for the dismantling of the evil system of Apartheid. That song became very popular with fair-minded and peace-loving people all around the world and helped with the dismantling of Apartheid.

More recently, since the return of democracy to South Africa, Guyana established diplomatic relations with the democratically elected government of South Africa and appointed Dr. Kenrick Hunte as Ambassador. This year, the Ambassador and his wife Claire, along with members of staff of the Guyana Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, have already taken Christmas cheer to dozens of children in South Africa.

In more recent years, there has been a growing number of Guyanese who have been visiting countries in Africa, including South Africa. The Guyana Embassy there has noted that most of those Guyanese make organised visits to such areas of the country as Robin Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, also to the well-known town of Soweto, where they establish relationships with schools and other groups of children. They would then send tangible assistance for the children. The Embassy plays an important role in facilitating such humanitarian projects. Ambassador Hunte and his wife, who both have a background in education, have been very proactive giving assistance to the children of South Africa since their arrival – Christmas cheer inclusive.

And last weekend, at the Miss Universe Pageant held in the United States, a beautiful black young South African woman who grew up in a country in which decades before, little black girls never had a visit from Santa Claus, was crowned Miss Universe. She is Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa 2019 and now Miss Universe 2019.

Many Guyanese are celebrating this achievement, which, had it not been for international support, especially from Guyana and Cuba, to crush the evil system of Apartheid, would never have happened. South Africa, has now given the world a brilliant, beautiful and black Queen and the children of that once sad country from whence came the book, “Cry, the Beloved Country”, is now about to have Santa Claus bring them Christmas cheer again.