Elsa Majimbo sparks ‘black tax’ debate

“Sending money home or to your family is a common practice in Africa and I absolutely hate it,” Kenyan activist Elsa Majimbo said earlier this month about the now-deleted TikTok that sparked a heated debate on social media.

The 23-year-old, who rose to fame during the covid crisis with her comedy videos, was touched when she spoke to her 1.8 million followers about the “black tax”.

It is then that black Africans who find little success, whether at home or abroad, find themselves having to support poor family members.

Restitution is seen as an intrinsic part of the African philosophy of humanity, which emphasizes the importance of family and community, not the individual.

The question for many is whether this is an unnecessary and unacceptable burden or part of the social responsibility to help lift others up.

But Ms. Majimbo, who is based in America, is backing away from this practice.

In this video, he said that his father has been supporting the members of the old family for years and now they are looking to him for help. He turned his anger on another unnamed relative.

“You have been asking my father for money since before I was born. I was born, I was brought up, I grew up, now you are asking me for money – what am I? [expletive]. I don’t feed your habits.”

While some agreed, others opposed his position. It is not clear why the video was removed from TikTok and Ms Majimbo’s management team declined the BBC’s request for comment.

But for many, regardless of what they themselves think, it is impossible to refuse to help relatives because of the opinion of the society in which they grew up.

There can be a sense of pride in helping to take care of the family even though it can be overwhelming.

A former Zimbabwean teacher in his 50s, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that almost 30 years ago his first pay check of $380 went directly to his nine siblings.

“After finishing shopping [school] uniform, clothes and groceries, I was left with $20,” he told the BBC in a voice that exuded respect and anger.

Although this meant that he had to buy food on credit, he said that since he was the oldest child, he was expected to withdraw cash when he started earning.

His income was not only for him but also for his family.

When he got married, his responsibilities increased even more. Once, he had to borrow money to pay his brother-in-law’s tuition after he was caught cashing a check. It took him two years to pay.

Sandra Ajalo, a 28-year-old hairdresser in Uganda, is grateful for the help her relatives gave her family when she was growing up.

Mrs. Ajalo and her three siblings were raised by one mother and her relatives helped her with various things from paying school fees, groceries and even medical expenses.

“It’s not a burden, it’s to help the community,” he told the BBC.

But when he saw Ms. Majimbo’s video, he understood where this social media star was coming from, especially since the Ugandan is still in a position to help other family members.

“It can be difficult, it can be frustrating, but we need it. No man is an island. We must help each other as best we can.”

Doctor Chipo Dendere, Assistant Professor in African Studies at Wellesley College in America, says that the need for black tax comes from the colony.

A system of oppression that concentrated resources in the hands of the colonial power or the settler minority made it more difficult for the majority to accumulate property.

This “left many black families without wealth,” said Prof Dendere.

In many cases, after independence, instead of being lifted, inequality was repeated.

Dr. Dendere added that the payment of “black tax” is often a “perpetual cycle” as money sent to family members often closes the hole for a while only to open again.

Another factor is that, unlike rich countries, many African countries cannot afford more than basic health care, a decent pension or tuition fees. Because of this, it is in a very good position for the family to receive these expenses, said Dr. Dendere.

“There is no pension fund from the government, we are pensioners, families intervene to do government work.

“We give for the sake of humanity. We are forced to take care of each other.”

By 2023, remittances sent home by African migrants will reach almost $95bn (£72bn), according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development, roughly the size of Kenya’s economy.

For Africans abroad, the difficulty can be much greater as people have high expectations due to the belief that overseas earners make a lot of money.

Gabe Mutseyekwa, 35, is a Zimbabwean who has lived in Germany for more than five years. He put his foot down and told his family that he will stop sending money every month because it prevents him from saving for his future.

His family didn’t react well – but they eventually came around.

“They see that I am alone and I have to do something for myself,” he said.

He once sent home around €2,000 ($2,200; £1,700) for a family emergency when he was a part-time student.

“There needs to be a balance between managing this financial responsibility and your financial health,” he told the BBC.

Many people have noticed that family members can feel entitled to your money especially if the person is rich.

This angered former Nigerian footballer Mikel John Obi. Last year, he talked about the “black tax” during an appearance on Rio Ferdinand Presents the podcast.

“If you come from Africa, if you make money, it is not your money. It’s not just your money. You have all these relatives, cousins, whatever you call them,” he said.

He added that relatives keep having more children and expect him to take care of them.

Although not everyone agrees with Elsa Majimbo’s words, it seems that it has affected her a lot, especially among the younger generation.

But Dr Dendere argues that unless Africa can truly develop, “the black tax will be here forever”.

Additional reporting by Tony Vinyoh