Grant Pascoe
Something is shifting in Coloured communities across South Africa. It is not loud or planned, but it is real. It is not about joining a political party. It is a growing understanding that we cannot wait for others to recognise our value. We are starting to believe in ourselves again. This shift has a name. It is the Coloured Revolution.
For too long we have been told we are a small group that must wait its turn. The ANC says we are only 9 percent. That number is used to explain why we are left out, why we do not lead, and why we are not fully part of the story of this democracy. But we are not 9 percent when it comes to contribution. We are not 9 percent when it comes to struggle. We are not 9 percent when it comes to pride.
Still Facing The Same Patterns
Our parents and grandparents helped build this country. They worked in hospitals, on the trains, in schools, shops and government. They raised families under difficult conditions. Many of them were removed from areas like District Six, Claremont, Wynberg and Simonstown. They were sent far away with no proper housing, schools or jobs. But they did not give up. They stayed strong and kept our communities going.
Today we are still facing the same patterns. Many of our areas are poor, unsafe and underdeveloped. Young people are struggling with unemployment, drugs and gangsterism. Our schools are overcrowded. Our clinics are full. Our people feel stuck. We vote, but nothing changes.
They Fear That Coloured People Will Stop Being Divided
The ANC avoids the real issue. They ignore the National Question, the unfinished conversation about how Coloured and Indian people fit into the South African story. They speak about unity but avoid our pain and silence our voices. Instead of fixing the problem, they hide behind the numbers.
The DA is no better. They speak to our anger but feed our fear. They want us to believe that our enemy is the black majority. They use the same fear that the apartheid government once used. They promote Coloured faces, but real power remains elsewhere. We are managed, not respected. We are blamed when things go wrong, and ignored when we speak up.
Both these parties fear the same thing. They fear that Coloured people will stop being divided. They fear our unity. Not because we want to fight others, but because we will finally stand for ourselves. We are not half. We are not in between. We are not confused. We are proud of who we are.
We Don’t Want Favours. We Want Fairness
The Coloured Revolution is not about fighting anyone. It is about standing together, speaking with purpose and building a future where our children feel seen and respected. It is already happening in our homes, in churches and mosques, in WhatsApp groups, community projects and small businesses. It is in the way we are thinking and organising differently.
We do not want favours. We want fairness. We want safety, jobs, good schools, and leaders who know our struggles. We are tired of being used, blamed and managed. We are not here to serve someone else’s interests. We are here to take ownership of our own lives.
You can continue being silent, co-opted and apologetic. Or you can choose to stand up with pride, with truth and with courage.
We are not 9 percent. We are the Coloured Revolution.
