SIR,—Mr. Garry Allighan's letter in your issue of May 27
raises several important queries and seems to need a deal of correction.
Mr. Allighan makes two principal assertions: first, that most black South Africans are 'dishonest' —`at least eight out of ten are instinctively dishonest and congenital liars'—and 'with criminal instincts'; and the cause of this lies in savagery, from which they are not far removed.
To take the first, this is an astonishingly sweep- ing statement, and we, your readers, are entitled, I think, to ask what evidence Mr. Allighan produces to support it. It is clear that plenty of factual evidence is required to condemn eight million or so Africans belonging to a variety of tribes—or perhaps Mr. Allighan will now admit that such com- ments as his are mere rhetoric?
One may suspect that in fact Mr. Allighan has little or no real evidence for this. Thirteen years in South Africa does not necessarily mean thirteen years in close contact with black South Africans in their daily life, and the atmosphere of apartheid must obviously give little opportunity for a white to gain such knowledge.
The average man in this country is unlikely to find this indictment convincing. Has Mr. Allighan not found liberties taken with the truth in Britain. America, etc. etc.? Strict truthfulness is an un- common virtue, and most people, though rarely re- sorting to the lie direct, are prepared to tamper with the truth to suit their own ends. Has Mr. Allighan never seen this among honourable gentle- men in the highest positions?
I am quite prepared to believe that Mr. Allighan has had dealings with African employees and ser- vants who have been by no means frank and truthful when things have gone wrong, but the reason for this is not 'criminal instincts' but because they, not understanding his point of view and seeing that he did not understand theirs (both sides being hampered by the language barrier), were unwilling to submit to his judgment and so tried to put him off. The differences in education and circumstances and background between white and black South Africans are so great that much sympathy and understanding, and a considerable effort, are needed to bridge the gap. Mr. Allighan's letter shows no sign of these.—Yours faithfully.
R. F. HAIM 000
The Close, 29 Newton Road, Bideford
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