“It’s a Rainbow Nation for a Reason”: American Faces Backlash for Criticising Diverse SA Maths Team
- An American man shared his observations on the racial composition of the South African Mathematics Olympiad team
- The thought-provoking video, distributed on Instagram, featured the man standing before a picture of the team, which finished 38th out of 110 teams
- Social media users responded with a range of comments, highlighting socio-economic factors influencing educational opportunities in Mzansi
Source: Getty Images
A controversial video by an American man discussing the racial makeup of the South African Mathematics Olympiad team sparked significant online discussion.
The thought-provoking clip was shared on Instagram by @mzansiprolificconnect, gaining many comments and views from online users.
Standing with a picture of the South African Mathematics Olympiad team in his background, the American man, @aquarius_waive, began to share his perspective. He immediately pointed out the team's racial dynamics. The man noted that the team was composed solely of white and Asian ethnicities, with a complete absence of black students. He went on to assert that the reason for this composition was that both Asian and white racial groups prioritise mathematics more in their cultures.
An overview of the team's dynamics
He further emphasised that Mzansi is a predominantly black country, yet this demographic was entirely unrepresented on the national mathematics team. The speaker reiterated his belief that students must focus on mathematics if they wish to compete on a global academic stage, implying that black students lack this focus.
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Source: Getty Images
South African Mathematics Olympiad Team shines
The South African Mathematics Olympiad team recently showcased their dedication and intellectual prowess on an international stage in Australia, finishing a commendable 38th out of 110 national teams. This ranking placed them in the top third of global competitors, with official results typically published by the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) organisation or relevant national mathematics bodies.
The pupils went head-to-head with top contenders from countries including China, the USA, and Korea. It was a two-day competition packed with tough problem-solving challenges. Representing Mzansi were Moied Baleg, Youkyum Kim, Eli Williams, Pocoyo Pun, Yian Xu, and Ellen Grant-Smith. The team made history by achieving South Africa’s highest ranking in 25 years at the event, which took place from 10 to 20 July.
SA debates the man's theory
The American man's video prompted a strong and varied response from local social media users. Many commenters highlighted an important contextual factor: the majority of black students in South Africa come from low-resourced areas. These users argued that opportunities to participate in prestigious competitions like the Mathematics Olympiad were available to students attending well-resourced schools.
They also noted that those schools have better facilities, qualified teachers, and specialised programmes. This difference, they contended, largely explains the team's racial makeup, rather than a lack of inherent prioritisation for mathematics within any racial group. Others expressed pride in our local team, regardless of the man's theory.
User @zizi_magadla said:
"In South Africa, we have black learners who are also good at Math; however, they are in rural schools. What you see there are private schools that the black community can't afford to send their kids to. Please do some research before making such comments. 😢."
User @nigelvansasie added:
"Why are Americans all up in our business lately?"
User @jonathanzitha commented:
"It's called a Rainbow Nation for a reason. We are proud of them. We get you looking for content. So go on."
User @victorvonmoni shared:
"We are proud of our diversity."
User @mmashadiseoketsa added:
"Bathong, stay in your lane. You're getting on my nerves."
User @steezie_mt said:
"They qualified because they got high marks for sure. But as a black South African, I'm gonna tell you straight we don’t care, we focused on making money 😂."
Watch the Instagram video here.
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Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.
Source: Briefly News
