Info poster creates racial hullaballoo

25 March 2015 - 02:22 By Aphiwe Deklerk

The Western Cape government has been accused of perpetuating racial stereotypes after posters meant to encourage civil servants to share knowledge were plastered on office walls early this month. Opposition MPs and civil servants were among those who complained about the poster, branding it "racist".Produced by the department of transport and public works, it depicts a white man with a blue pump plugged into his head sharing his knowledge via a tube connected to a black man's head.The words "Knowledge Transfer Station" are written on top of the pump.The white male is labelled "PM (project manager) Mentor SME", while the black man is labelled "New PM (project manager)".The poster states: "Power is gained by sharing knowledge, not hoarding it!" and asks: "Have you shared your knowledge today?"Some ANC MPs said they found the poster, with a Western Cape government logo on it, outside their doors. But it was ANC provincial leader Marius Fransman who raised the issue of the poster during the debate on the premier office's budget vote in the legislature yesterday."What is this sharing of knowledge? In the buildings of the Western Cape government, here is a white male pumping [knowledge] to a black person," shouted an animated Fransman.The poster has since been "recalled", according to the department, following the complaints.Department spokesman Al-Ameen Kafaar said the poster was aimed only at staff members, but was "unfortunately not quality-controlled" and put up without approval of the department's "director of knowledge".The posters were immediately removed after two complaints from two staff members, he said."It was never the department's intention to wilfully or deliberately portray anyone in a racist or stereotypical manner," said Kafaar...

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