PE still Friendly City, say Chinese

Melody Brandon WEEKEND POST REPORTER

THEY suffered oppression under apartheid and are still mindful of the legacy of this bitter past, but most members of the Chinese community in Port Elizabeth still view their home city as “friendly”.

The Eastern Cape is home to one of the largest Chinese populations in South Africa.

Having battled historically to find an identity as they were considered neither “black” nor “white”, they were finally recognised by the government as previously disadvantaged and, following a recent ruling, now qualify for employment equity.

“It was difficult for us during apartheid,” remembered Darryl Dateline, a well known member of the Bay Chinese community. “We couldn‘t own property and while the government didn‘t make it easy for us to own businesses and work, it didn‘t mind taking our money.”

Eight long years of struggle by the Chinese Association of South Africa (Casa) paid off in June when Chinese South Africans – classified as “coloured” during apartheid – finally qualified for benefits under the Employment Equity Act and the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act.

The move was met with joy by those who remember the ugly past only too well.

“Under the old government Chinese people were not allowed into white areas and legislation did not allow people to pass on their assets to their next of kin,” said Bay professional Greig Timkoe.

“The state would auction off the deceased‘s assets, but the money would not go to the family of the deceased.”

Melanie Yap, a Rhodes University graduate who documented the history of the Eastern Cape Chinese community, attributes the historic influx of Chinese immigrants to their work ethic. Hundreds of Chinese came to South Africa in the early 20th century, to work in the gold mines. They were not encouraged to settle permanently and by 1910 large numbers had been repatriated. Those who chose to remain struggled with racism and lived in separate communities.

Many of the early immigrants came here looking for a better life. Bay shop owner Percy Hsieh‘s grandfather, Date- Chong Hsieh, who was from a farming family in southern China, came to the country and settled in Uitenhage as a “pioneer”, aged just 14.

Despite hard times in the Struggle era, Percy today still runs the family business in Port Elizabeth. Both his children graduated from the then University of Pretoria and have excelled in their respective careers.

“Education is very important to the Chinese community.”

When apartheid became law in the late 1940s, the Chinese were classified as “coloured” and forced to live apart from whites. They were also denied educational and business opportunities and voting rights.

“My father was unable to get a qualification unless he registered as coloured, which he didn‘t want to do,” remembered Clifton James, a third- generation Chinese South African who teaches Kung Fu at the former Chinese school premises in Kabega Park.

Those in the Eastern Cape were forced to move to specific areas like Kabega Park. However, the Chinese community in East London had no “group area” as most members lived near their shops in town.

Ironically, once South Africa had established economic ties with Taiwan in the 1970s, Taiwanese immigrants were welcomed as “honorary whites”.

In the 1980s Chinese South Africans were exempt from some of the discriminatory laws that applied to black and coloured communities.

After apartheid ended in the early 1990s, the legal status of the Chinese remained a grey area, until this year.

Today, most Chinese residents are happy to stay put in Port Elizabeth.

“Port Elizabeth still lives up to being the ‘friendly city‘. The cost of living is good and crime is not as bad here as in Johannesburg. For my family it is home,” said James.

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