"refugees" -- or what's in a tweet

‘Refugee’ – or what’s in a tweet?

The tweet that launched a storm of outrage? I don’t tweet, but this is apparently what Ms Zille said: “While E Cape education has collapsed, the W Cape has built 30 schools in [two] years to accommodate E Cape education refugees. Vuka!!” In attempt to understand the storm of outrage, I turned to the dictionary. This is what I found: “refugee: a person taking refuge, especially in a foreign country, from war or persecution or natural disaster”.
Here are some possible responses to /interpretations of the controversial tweet:

1. Strictly speaking, perhaps, people moving from the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape in search of better schooling are not “refugees” – and the Western Cape is not another country! However, this could be seen as exaggeration for dramatic effect (something to which politicians – and people generally¬ – are prone). It does appear that education in the Eastern Cape is in a parlous state: the provincial department of education was placed under the administration of the national government last year – surely an admission of failure? The Eastern Cape has the lowest Matric pass rate of any province, etc. Are these comments further evidence of Ms Zille’s (alleged) residual (or not-so-residual) racism?
2. Racist overtones? Does the term “refugee” carry a stigma, and reveal some kind of prejudice against “refugees”? Is this a form of “othering”? Is the implication that “refugees” do not belong here (in the Western Cape) or are not welcome here? Depending on the context, and on the speaker, this is a possible interpretation. How was Ms Zille using the term? Given the recent history of our country, was she at least being insensitive?
3. Sympathy and support? The term is also used by organisations (such as the Adonis
Musati Project, whose work I admire). Here is an extract from their website: “Many refugees eventually make their way to the southern-most tip of Africa. The majority of these refugees are from Zimbabwe, where since the year 2000 the situation has deteriorated to an unprecedented degree. . . .” Their project stems from compassion for and empathy with these refugees, and they offer practical forms of assistance. Clearly their use of the term is not informed by racism or prejudice! (And clearly, the people referred to here really are “refugees”.)

Conclusion: it really depends on how one views Helen Zille, and how caught up one is in the partisan, finger-pointing politics of the Western Cape (and South Africa). The term “refugee” is not necessarily offensive or pejorative; it depends on the speaker and the context. If one has prejudged Ms Ziile as racist, then one will find confirmation of one’s views in her recent tweet. If one is a DA supporter, and views her as a resolute and principled upholder of non-racism, then one may regard her tweet as expressing indignation at the shortcomings of the Eastern Cape Education Department, and sympathy for the plight of those who come to the Western Cape in search of a better education.

What is the real issue here? Amid all the finger-pointing and point -scoring, is anyone really listening? And does anyone really care about the predicament which young people in the Eastern Cape find themselves in? What steps are being taken, and by whom, to ensure that the doors of education are indeed opened for all South Africans? How unequal is our education system?