Grootboom to take a break

SEASONED member of the DA’s legislature team in the Northern Cape, Dr Allen Grootboom, has announced his retirement from politics.

Dr Grootboom’s retirement from formal politics was announced by the party’s provincial leader, Andrew Louw, on Friday.

According to a statement issued by the party, Dr Grootboom started his political involvement as a young 16-year-old student in 1973 at the University of the Western Cape.

He was immediately drawn into the centre of the Black Consciousness movement and joined the South African Students Organisation (SASSO), at a time when SASSO was a banned organisation and its leaders were often harassed.

During this time he also became involved with the New Unity Movement, that was aligned to the Pan Africanist Movement.

Grootboom describes his first year as very stormy as it was the year of the great student “Walk Off” when the students stated their rejection of gutter education.

Despite the militancy of boycotts, beatings and harassment by the security police of students, Grootboom completed his first degree.

The student uprising against Afrikaans in Soweto fanned the flames of student resistance further.

Grootboom played a leading role in student politics at the time. The students who graduated from UWC took it upon themselves to ensure that the masses became politically schooled.

During and after the UDF formation and Dakar, Grootboom took up ANC membership until 1995. He later joined the then DP, stating that “the ANC became the same racist organisation that the National Party was”.

He left politics to complete his studies and read for his MEd in Psychology at the University of Port Elizabeth and later became a Ford Fellow after receiving a scholarship from the Ford Foundation.

He completed his doctoral degree in Psychology at the University of the Free State and his research was dedicated to the impact of racism on young people and how racism is perpetuated in society.

Grootboom states that people with a bi-racial identity, mixed parentage and in SA, KhoiSan heritage, have an additional struggle: the struggle of being on the receiving end of both white and black racism.

He refers to black racism as a “second racism”, because, he says, people of colour never expected that from their black brothers as they had fought together against white domination and racism.

“A not so new consciousness is emerging, that of reciprocal racism, which is a kind of tit-for-tat racism against our darker skinned countrymen because of the racism they experience in the workplace and public sector.”

He contests that racism remains insidious from whoever it comes and he has made it his life’s aim to continue fighting racism until South Africans can be truly one nation.

Racism he says, remains the number one priority threatening our democracy. “Once we move beyond that, we will stop blaming apartheid for our mistakes.

“There is a serious level of self-hate that seems to have taken over our sense of self as black people. It is time we acknowledge our failures, see corruption and maladministration for what it is, acknowledge that cadre deployment is doing more harm than good, correct our mistakes and as a collective take SA forward.”

After completing his studies, Grootboom returned to formal politics in 2009 when he was wearing two hats of being the chairperson and the leader of the DA in the Northern Cape.

After taking up a role as an MPL he also became a member of parliament.

He has penned a number of publications: Die Dans van die Skoenlapper - an ensemble of struggle verses and a Duet with Floris Brown, MooiLiefdesBreek. He also published a self-help book, Taking the Face Off. Other books include Angels Dreams and Visions: Stairways of the soul and a new self-help book: Unlocking the treasures within the mind.

Both the self-help books are guides for young people for self development.

Announcing his retirement on Friday, Louw stated that Dr Grootboom had been a pillar of strength to the organisation for well over a decade.

“He has proven to be a man of principles who unwaveringly sticks to his guns. We applaud his inner strength, humility, creativity and his discipline.

I also wish to thank him for his active involvement and hands on approach in his portfolios and his respective constituencies,” Louw said.

“He has proven to be a people’s person and we thank him for sharing his kind-hearted nature with fellow politicians, staff and members of the public. His warmth will indeed be missed in our office.”

The DA’s PR councillor for Sol Plaatje, Ofentse Mokae, will replace Grootboom in the Legislature.

“As much as we will dearly miss Dr Grootboom, we also look forward to starting a new chapter with Ofentse and we trust that his youthfulness will bring a fresh approach to the legislature,” Louw said.