Why are Asians classified as black?

Question

I just came from a political science class at university and we were discussing Affirmative Action. And my lecturer said that Asians are now classified as black in South African law. She was serious when she said it to.

Does anyone know anything about this?

Answer 1

I heard about this about a month ago. Apparently, the Chinese community in South Africa argued that under Apartheid era South Africa they were also discriminated against, the same as blacks and were not given equal opportunity as SA whites and now that the Apartheid has been abolished, they were pretty much getting the same end of the stick as whites in SA do now, fewer job opportunities, etc. So, they would now prefer to be classified as black in SA so that they can have better opportunities, equal treatment, whatever you want to call it. It's so weird to me as no Asians I know have ever considered themselves to be black unless they had part black heritage, but whatever works for them is fine, I guess. Let me try to find an article on it for ya.

Answer 2

They aren't actually considered Black.

They just considered as previously disadvantaged.

So they apply for affirmative action and BEE and stuff but they aren't actually called black.

Answer 3

well that lecturer was WRONG...

There are many countries in Asia from Russia to China, Japan, (all the pacific asian countries, to the middle and near east countries like Israel, Iraq, Turkey, SaudiArabia, Iran, Pakistan, India, etc etc etc and there are people from all color races represented in all countries of Asia.. From the darkest black, all the way up to the whitest white (caucasian)...  

Answer 4

im asian, and im not very DARK but im tan, and it really annoys me that pople call me black or ask me if i am? like look at, really look @me. and freaking thinkk, ughhhhhh. and when they ask me whatt kind of asian i am i say Cambodian cause i am there like wtf is that? and i just say w.e cause there stpid teens' that dont know ****.

Answer 5

When there are benefits involved ppl go out of their way to classify themselves as a certain race..In things like aphartheid then everyone tries to run away from a certain category..

Answer 6

Asians, as well as Chinese, are classified as black, because they want to get more opportunities. But, they have to be able to speak at least one African language.

Answer 7

Not asians per say but rather South African born Chinese before 1994. It was said that during the years of Apartheid chinese weren't part of the movement with blacks, coloureds and indians.. However due to the numbers of Chinese in SA at the time it was mistakenly seen as they weren't supporting the struggle when they actually were. However to add confusion there were many JAPANESE delegates coming to SA for business (etc) but they were seen as "honorary whites" and since the public could not tell the difference between Japanese and Chinese they therefore just assumed they were all the same. But after many years since 1994, we as a chinese community have won the case against the government and are now seen as "black" therfore are entitled to schemes such as "BEE - Black economic empowerment". However many people still do not know these facts and constantly complain and bicker about how it is unfair that us (chinese born South Africans) have been classified as black.. When actually what they percieve chinese as someone who doesn't speak English and owns a dodgey shop selling cheap things.. but this is not the case! Those aren't the people who this applies to! For instance i am currently studying at one of the best institutions in SA and can fluently speak english (with a SA accent), it applies to me and many others like me, not those sterotypes people percieve the chinese to be! By the way, there are less than 10 000 Chinese who this applies to so i don't get why people are so angry, it isn't an influential figure that will affect the entire BEE scheme. Here's an article on it:

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Afric...