OPINION | McKenzie should choose whose Minister he fundamentally wishes to be for

Patriotic Alliance leader, Gayton McKenzie, bases his party position on Israel on a Jewish woman that goes without mention but took good care of him.

On that count, Hamas is a terroristic organisation never mind what is happening to the Palestinians.

I also have my benevolent episodes with a Jewish family that my mother worked for, the Werksmans, one of the top legal firms – albeit it did not appear to fall within what was referred to at the time as the Big Four.

Norman Werksman was the name of my mom’s employer.

One of legal firms headquartered in Sandton, Werksmans was named after him. Bowman Gillfilan and Webber Wentzel were two of the four reputedly leading Big Four.

Norman Werksman operated from Avril Malan Building in the corner of Kort and Commissioner streets. Shun Chetty and Priscilla Jana also operated from the same building but not ranked as big.

I don’t know when Avril Malan Bldg changed name to Abbey House as BAMCWU, which Pandelani Nefolovhodwe was once Secretary General of, also operated from.

But at the time when Werksmans was housed at this building, it was called the Avril Malan Building.

In the latter part of 1978, the year of Azapo’s formation, Werksmans swung into action after my mom was arrested at work and taken to her house in Mofolo for me to surrender in exchange for her release back to work.

I don’t forget that when I finally showed up for arrest, my mom had cooked T-Bone steak for the police that had come to detain me.

In this instance, Norman Werksman ensured I was found after I was arrested; insisting that I be formally processed, charged not only to leave me surrendered into police custody, but waited for a charge to instruct a lawyer for my representation.

This being least expected from seemingly a man about town that Werksman seemingly was, proved a difficult thing for police to act as expected and was released to my mom’s employer.

See how rules are applied?

In good care of Werksman, I was given a part time job with an option to take full time employment. I was staying in ensuite outdoor servants’ quarters traveling in chauffeur-driven Bentley with Werksman.

I then saw the difference between black and white life chances – to appreciate what Seth Mazibuko called the system – which I did too in 1976 when I came to Naledi High.

In Werksman’s company, travelling to and from work, one could tell that there was a wish by many to just be in the company of this man.

I was insulated from daily plights and blights of black life. This was a routine until December of 1978 for vacation to my home in Mofolo, Soweto.

A week into the New Year of 1979, I called Werksman’s home from a public telephone booth, hoping my mom would pick as would normally be case.

But Werksman’s wife answered the phone. On Mrs Werksman’s wife hearing it was me, she assumed I had wished to talk to my mom.

On my mom coming to the phone, believing I was planning to resume part time work for the new year, she was disappointed to hear I had decided to quit and insisted on telling Werksman myself.

A ‘fool’ and his golden opportunities on a platter were soon parted.

On telling Werksman that I had decided not to continue, he offered to arrange for the January income.

It was compliments of the season’s cordial parting and the black man was on his own again as Bra Barney Pityana had coined the slogan, I later learnt.

Between me and assured protective comfort of Werksmans’ undeniable good company, I chose the hazards of freedom.

To seal it all, I wrote an essay and delivered it at Avril Malan Building reception for Mr Norman Werksman’s attention.

The receptionist, who had never seen me into the building on foot. And the letter was not going to be treated to mere inbox daily entries as this was Emily’s son – a cook of the Werksmans.

It was a cordial letter of thanks with the opening compliments of the new season and closure of black man’s wishes to be on his own again.

I had not read Steve Biko’s I Write What I Like at the time. But flashing in my mind was Biko’s funeral from newspapers of Ntsiki Biko’s tear-trickling face with Nkosinathi (6) and Samora (2) in the picture captions.

I heard my mom say in happy moods – Werksman would ask: ” where is the black man?”

From then on, it was known in Werksmans’ household that when he (Werksman) asked about me, happy moods were in the house.

But with these benevolent episodes with the Werksmans family, I would not base nor derive my stance on Israel on.

Watching throngs of outdoor protesters against Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit in the US and him (Netanyahu) receiving indoor standing ovations, the looming question is:  in whose name are those in government, governing? The meaning of government of the people, by the people and for the people evidently no longer holds water.

Patriotic Alliance leader, Gayton McKenzie, should favour the country with a more formidable party position on Israel than an unmentioned Jewish woman that commendably took good care of him.

The choice is McKenzie’s to choose as to whose minister he fundamentally wishes to be for. Written by Oupa Ngwenya, a Corporate Strategist, Writer & Freelance Journalist.

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