By Khutso Mokgehle
Black Tax is a popular term in amongst many black South Africans, according to Wikipedia, Black Tax is defined as money that black workers, especially professionals and others with higher income, give to their parents, siblings, or other family members, often out of obligation or a deeply ingrained sense of family responsibility.
If you are familiar with the South African history, you will know that for about five decades, black South Africans were subjected to harsh racial laws (apartheid) that disadvantaged them for accumulating wealth. This means the majority of black Generation X South Africans are living in poverty, or at least middle class for some.
Post apartheid, and through the black government, many South Africans had access to education and to affirmative action, some black people became successful through government business opportunities.
This dark history created a problem. Black professionals and business moguls that come from poor families are now expected to uplift their young siblings and also take care of their previously disadvantaged parents. It is not that easy, the young professionals and businesspeople want to start building their families, buy their own property, take their kids to good schools, live in great neighbourhoods, but then, the family is looking at this one person as the financial saviour of the family.
It is complex. What should a Christian do?
I am reading the books of Timothy this evening and I see this verse that I have read many times and it has been driving my mentality around black tax.
"But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." - 1 Timothy 5:8
Failure to take care of your family, the Bible says you are worse than an unbeliever. Why such a harsh sentence? Because you have an obligation to take care of your family.
The pressure is
