I’m personally touched by the Vusi chat because going to UCT one was judged on their accent and what school they went to. Orientation week everyone would gauge how to value you and your intellect based on how white you sound and which private high school you attended. Imagine-

Those of us who went to all black public schools with our “comrade” or “Jabu” accent were deemed less intelligent. Raising our hands in class was frowned upon as people cringed hearing us speak. Thank the God of the underdogs because I was academically stronger than the coconuts

Students would complain about black lecturers accents who didn’t sound white (especially those from other African countries)saying they can’t hear them or some other problematic comments. It irks me that I am assumed to be dumb because I don’t Hong Hong when I speak.

I am triggered but also tired generally. I don’t blame the students who lied about their backgrounds or faked their accents to be accepted into cliques formed around accents. I actually have a qualm against men who attended all boys high- I’ve experienced too much violence

Their classism, homophobia, fatphobia, sexism, xenophobia, accentism, tribalism are all so insidious because they are tactful in how they deliver the blow with their twang and bombastic words. I bet you that my IQ is higher than most Vusi’s but you equate high IQ with more hongs

Anyway someone asked me to tackle Vusi’s problematic argument and trust me I have the range but I’m not doing free labour. Pay me and I will do it.

A “coconut” accent is power, it’s currency, it’s proximity and it’s access. I thus also find issue with “coconuts” who put on blaccents when they are in certain spaces to signal to them that they are “one@ with the people. No Moosie, you are being disingenuous and harmful. Stop