I have returned to the UK from a 3 week private visit to Cape Town. These are my observations. The patterns of social inequalities remain unchanged!

The Africans who live in the townships of Langa, Gulguletu and Khayalitsha are reminders that social justice has not been achieved.

I find it equally distasteful to see the ANC government paying land owners for land which they got for next top nothing. These landowners should be paying reparations.

Africans must demand reparations for the following reasons.

1) It would send a clear message to the colonialist/imperialist that they understand how capitalism works and, how wealth was accumlulated by the UK and others.

2) It would also show that Africans understand social-economic justice.

3) It would show that Africans take their humanity seriously.

4) It would also soothe the psychological/ emotional pain many Africans have been enduring for the last 300 years.

5) It would also make Franz Fanon and Thomas Sankara happy men. Let us make these young ancestors proud.

Thank you for reading my letter.

I have completed reading the essay about the relationship between African Americans and the new arrivals from Africa. The geographical divide between Europe and Africa is not that far but the relationship between the Diaspora Africans and mainland Africans in London and Europe is the same. I would use the word contentious.

There are lots of anxieties expressed whenever two Africans from different groups marry. There are many harsh words and insults exchanged between and among Africans. Some of the unfounded opinions mentioned can be heard over here as well. The communication problems are getting worse. There is cooperation as well but, there is more insults, in-fighting and discrimination between and among Africans.

As SAP, IMF and WB programmes viciously squeeze the life- blood out of the Africa continent, new arrivals are becomming more and more desperate. When the majority of unskilled, manual workers and unemployed arrive here, they want their economic needs met first. Then, they look for people from their own country and then they form an exclusive church or clubs, which excludes other Africans. They practice a virulent brand of discrimination.

I have gone to clubs in London where only Ivorian or Congolese music is played. The myths, misinformation and ignorance run riot amongst the various communities. Unity is frowned upon. Open and frank discussions are ignored. When you people meeting here to compete for the lowest paying jobs in this declining capitalist island, you have a recipe for more in-fighting.

There is widespread evidence of disrespect especially when Africans talk to other Africans. Africans from the mainland tend to look down on the Caribbean born ones. The communication skills are quite poor. Illiteracy rates are high among Africans born in Britain/Jamaica. We as a people do not read, ask questions, explore other ideas, countries. Most Africans only know their country and London. I work with families so I suspect I have the most up to date information. The homes are always full of electronic/stylish furniture and other latest fads. However, the bookshelves are empty except for the revered King James Version. The parenting skills are better suited for the 16th century society. There is no realistic understanding of how capitalism works and no knowledge about colonial history. There are children born here who cannot string proper sentences in grammatically correct English. Some of our people are often very defensive and offended when they are challenged about destructive habits.

The author needs to come here and see London. It is not different to Washintgon DC, New York and the other cities in the USA. The most pleasant conversations I have had is with Africans from the continent who have read or have traveled around other African countries who do not live in a noisy church and who are curious enough to ask questions. So, all is not lost! We live in hope.

I agree with Tadjudeen (Pambazuka News 154: Great Expectations on South Africa). For the vast majority of Africans in South Africa, the poor are getting poorer. The ANC promised to return 30% of stolen land to landless people. Unfortunately, the ANC has only returned 2.5%. In the meantime, water has been privatised, making it difficult for poor people to access bugfree pipeborne water. This privatisation is already causing a rise in water born diseases such as cholera.

Families are unable to educate their children in a cultural setting, with a syllabuses which can meet their cultural and employment needs. Yet, South Africa is up for sale. Many rich Europeans can find land and or property for 1 million rand, in the midst of starvation, increasing HIV sufferers and unemployment. The expropriation of land, opportunities and resources from the many to service the few "indigenous middle class/elites" is a reflection that, as always, capitalism always serves the interests of the few.

How can the ANC continue to fail the vast majority with shallow rhetoric? One of these days, the disgruntled masses will get very fed up and turn on the very leadership which used to sound so radical and who was so in favour of addressing 400 years of injustice, suffering and servitude. Now, they talk and talk and talk and do not deliver!