I remember as a child, I used to love it when my mom bought us a bee-sting - a tasty German cake filled with custard.
In a house where most cents were counted carefully, such treats were very welcome and as I write this, I can almost taste the sweetness of the golden decadence.
However, it seems there is a generation whose bee-sting days have past - see the comments on the story ICT industry is racist, says govt - and they are not going down without a fight.
As far as I can see, the BEE-sting has turned the custard in a couple of people's mouths sour as they are forced to make way for the gravy train, complete with a couple of fat cats licking off the cream of the empowerment deals.
Because, after all, there are valid opinions on both sides of the black economic empowerment (BEE) and affirmative action (AA) argument. While many white people have worked hard for what they have and should be granted the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labour, it needs to be kept in mind that they are working off a footing of privilege where black people, quite frankly, were not afforded the same kind of opportunities in the past.
At the same time, to use BEE for the enrichment of a few - called the usual suspects, or first line beneficiaries - is as wrong and, quite understandably, leaves a sour taste in most people's mouths, regardless of race.
This kind of Marie Antoinette "let them eat cake" approach doesn't quite fly - too much has been fought for in this country to let a small elite take away the gains that should be shared by many.
However, regardless of which side of the fence you're on, people are passionate about the impact it is having on the country and on the skills shortage we are experiencing - see the comments on the Wanted: 37 565 ICT workers story.
The least we can do
I am reminded of a conversation I had with my father, a white, middle-aged, Afrikaans man, who was forced to serve in the police (as opposed to going to the border) around the time bee-stings were popular. I asked him what his take on BEE and AA is, considering he has a young, white, male, Afrikaans son who has just graduated and will probably struggle to find work.
Too much has been fought for in this country to let a small elite take away the gains that should be shared by many.
Christelle du Toit, senior journalist, ITWeb
His words to me was that if he had to work a bit harder before he can retire, or if it takes his son a bit longer to get his dream job, in order to make up for the injustices of the past, that is the very least we can do.
This is why things like the FF+'s BEE cupcake-sale really get up my nose. For those who missed it, the FF+ Youth have on a number of occasions embarked on a BEE/AA caked goods sale on campus where white students pay more than Indian and Coloured students for cupcakes, while Black students pay next to nothing. The point was to illustrate the "unfair advantages" afforded to students of race, supposedly at the expense of white students.
Quite frankly, this, to me, is a farce. Being white has never stopped me from getting a job. Yes, sometimes I had to work extra hard in order to prove myself, but the opportunities have always been there. For a bunch of privileged white Afrikaans students to cry foul play because they actually have to get of their lazy bums in order to get jobs, is an embarrassment to all hard-working white, Afrikaans people.
I am reminded that while, as a privileged white child, I was eating German baked delicacies, many black children of the same age were forced to confront racism in its ugliest forms as the townships they lived in burnt. Somehow, I think golden custards and cupcakes were not the first thing on their minds as their parents were arrested for standing up for their rights.
I also don't think that white Afrikaans boys, driving daddy's BMWs to varsity, qualify to take on BEE if they don't have a clue what it is grounded in. While decrying racial discrimination (supposedly to their disadvantage), they reinforce racial stereotypes that still dominate in society.
The point, after all, is to reach a stage where we can appoint someone regardless of race or creed, without the worries of a racist past hanging over our heads.
For the time being though, that past cannot be ignored and you can bake your cupcake - or BEE-sting - whichever way you want; fact is, there are millions out there who still cannot afford it.
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