Dear Editor,
This is in response to Chris Roper's column.
Though I now live in Namibia, I lived in South Africa for more than 10 years. I lived in the Western Cape and studied at Stellenbosch.
I love South Africa as much as I do my country of birth. This open letter gives me hope that there could be a better future for us if we have the guts to do something about it. We do not have to follow politicians blindly just because they struggled for our freedom. Yes we are grateful to them but it is time to put the past between us and look forward to a new future together.
I see the same thing happening in our country. Namibia achieved independence in 1990. It has been 18 since the Swapo government came into power. And each day more and more people are asking questions of the government like "what have you done for us in 18 years?"
What about all the promises that were made of houses for the poor, water and electricity in rural areas? They can't answer these questions because what they have done precisely nothing. The average person has become poorer and poorer whilst the rich have become millionaires.
Our Swapo Youth League has made the same type of utterances like Julius Malema. Speeches that tell their supporters to fire people in high positions that belong to other political parties. To withhold water from your brother if he belongs to a party other then Swapo. And what is worse is that the majority of the people actually do this.
South Africa and Namibia have lauded themselves as being democracies but on ground level it seems to me that they begin to operate any other dictatorship in Africa.
In our country as stated above people have begun to ask questions, make statements and to take the government on about decisions and policies. It feels to me that the youth of our country is taking the same steps as these learners in South Africa have. Baby steps, but steps in the right direction at least.
It gives me hope that we can have a better future and make our countries the special places they should be. It gives me hope that maybe I don't have to emigrate.
I don't want to leave, this place is in my blood.
Cynthia du Plessis,
Namibia
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