By Takura Zhangazha*
I once took a flight to South Africa from what was then referred to as Harare International Airport around 2013. As always, I was used to flying in and out of that country because there is a morning flight and an evening one that made one able to meet and do the necessary meetings in at least eight hours.
At the airport, I met two long standing colleagues from our student struggle days. Make no mistake, we were happy to catch up and ask after our stations in life, family as well as the situation in the country at that time. This was in the departure lounge of the airport terminal at what is now Robert Mugabe International Airport.
When the boarding time of the flight was announced on the intercom, we all headed toward the departure gate. Upon boarding the aeroplane, I assumed all of us, as comrades would go to the usual economy class. Mainly because there is always a long line with preferential treatment for those that are in first class.
So we all had our carry on bags and I was doing what I considered a twelve hour return trip so I was very happy to be put at the back of the airplane. What I did not know is that my cdes had a long haul flight to Senegal connecting from Johannesburg to Dakar, Senegal.
As we walked into the airplane, my colleagues were in front of me, and in my simplistic anticipation, I thought we were going together to what we know as ‘economy class’. Lo and behold, they started stacking their bags into the Business Class’ overhead lockers and sat comfortably in the bigger and more comfortable seats.
I was slightly astonished but I understood. They probably had more flying miles and had been upgraded by the airline. A development which turned out to be ambiguous.
So I waddled to economy class with a number of questions. The most obvious being the fact of how an aeroplane is economically segregatory.
Not only because of the fact that when an aeroplane goes down, it goes down with everyone no matter which class you are in but also how it reflects general inequality in African society. Both internally and externally.
My friends in business class had forks, knives, champagne all the way to Johannesburg and we had the plastic cups and red wine. When we arrived at Oliver Tambo International Airport, they got off first from the bus. Never mind the fact of us arriving at the passport control office together. Eventually.
As my colleagues went on to their forward journey I reflected on a number of things.
The first was the meaning of class as represented by airlines and society in Africa. In this, the key question was, at least in my mind, so who determines class on an airplane? Who determines generic class in Africa?
I realized that we were blurring class with material desire. Cdes that would not normally take a flight to for example Cape Town are trying their hardest to prove either to their immediate families that they can do it, even on a US$500 salary. They would sooner go broke trying.
A personal friend in the aviation business, particularly travel agencies explained that everything is based on the frequency of your personal travel. And your own desire to be recognized as a frequent airplane traveler.
Or even in some cases the number of pictures you take next to an airline/ aeroplane if you are considered an ‘influencer”.
The metaphoric meaning of this foregoing explanation relates to the fact of class in Southern Africa. And the fact that it is being blurred.
In order to simplify it, Southern Africa is a class based society. Regionally and historically. From the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (WINELA) through to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and finally through to the fact of Rhodesia itself.
Many of us as black Africans were laborers. A majority of us have remained migratorily so. Even in 2024. But we desire more. In an economic system that will perpetually allow it.
Hence a decent number of us think our political ambitions should match our economic and lifestyle desires. As designed by the global north. Where we prove our material success but evidence of comparative material well being.
The contradictory point is the fact that we all want to be equal in a society in which equality is not expected let lone anticipated. By ourselves.
Everything appears to be a breakthrough moment no matter your education or historical arrival narrative.
Again this is another complicated point to make. And I may slow it down a bit.
Unfortunately we were taught to have inferiority complexes. To admire not only white but Western commercial lifestyles’ and religiosity as either suited a new modernization of the black African or abstract generalizations of the same.
We fought liberation struggles against colonialism but forgot to revert to Biko, Nkrumah, Nyerere, Cabral and Fanon. Not for the casualness of their names. But for their organic reach to our being in the 21st century and beyond.
What it means is that we have to return to the source of our consciousness. As hard as this may be.
Now I am student of Amilcar Cabral. Moreso when he wrote and said, “No matter how hot your water it will not boil your rice” as he advised us. And here I am only quoting him lightly.
What I do know is that we need a new Pan African perspective and narrative that recognizes not only history, the present and the latter’s future beyond electoral politics.
Where we learn to combine the three, we will have generational praxis.
*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity (takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com
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