The discolouration of our beautiful South Africa

A peace of work:

I would like to start and state that I thought I am not a person that would write anything anytime in my life. So here is my take on Mzanzi.

I have been watching the news, the e-waves, the TV, the beautiful peoples of this country as well as the animals, and just about everywhere I could track where we going as South Africa.

If I may, I want to take you on a journey far back and then bring us all back to where we are today. As a fellow South African, born and bred in this lovely country, I had the privilege to see this country from many angles and perspectives. I had the privilege to be born in a country strewn with beauty, flung with sunsets that make one think how all this “Could have just happened”.

I was fortunate to walk the streets and mountains of this country when snow was falling on the Swartberg Mountains. As a young boy my father used to take us onto the mountains to just go crazy and be children. I was fortunate to see the beauty of a miraculously natural sketch or then drawing of the African continent,  in Southern Cape, high up the beautyful surroundings of George area.

I used to swim the seas of Mosselbay and just go as deep as I could, because I could swim, and good also. Then I saw the Meiringspoort waterfalls, and jumped off the highest slate just to show "I can". I was a good tennis player and represented my province to play in Durban for ISASSA. I also had the privilege to play for my province table tennis because you see I was multi- talented and adventurous. I was good at what I did. As a boy I saw the beauty of the then so called "Eastern Transvaal".

We swam the Sabi-Sabi waterfalls, played in the MacMac pools and had pancakes in Pilgrim’s Rust Now as a child there are very few things that can distract your attention from playing, laughing, running, joking, and so on. But as we grow up, we quickly realized there is another life happening outside of this beautiful place called "Childs-Play". As I grew up, I realized I cannot just play anywhere and everywhere, and I cannot run just anywhere and I cannot become just anything I wanted to.

But as a child that does not keep you from trying to talk to and play with or fight with anyone. I enjoyed life in this beautiful country and I was happy. Now then school came and slowly but surely I got to grips with what is going on in this lovely country of mine. Some went to church, some went to Mosque, and others went to the shebeen or the pub or the club and so on and so on.

It became clear that there were major differences right around me. People could choose where to go to church in our community; they could choose which school in our community they wanted to send their kids to. But that was only in our community. What happened outside of this community? This is what made me realize we are in for a "long walk to freedom".? For as soon as I crossed a white neighbourhood there was conflict. I was chased by a few white boys and wasn't sure what it really was about. 

Need to scram

All I knew was I had to show my manhood here and stand for who I am. So as I was challenged by one of them, I sorted him out and realized I need to scram, otherwise I am dead. And yes I ran for my life, and yes I was fast. So they could not catch up to "Errol Tobias" and I had to find another route home. This happened while we were on holiday at beautiful Diaz strand resort.

Now as my life progressed I learned that we have a small problem in our country. The problem was not really a problem if it were not for a few people that suggested that it is better to separate the haves from the have-nots. What I did not understand was that my grandfather was also seen as a have-not. He had a house for he was a school principal. He had a car, for he was working and very hard also.

So why did my grandfather have to leave his house in the have/have-nots area and go live in another have-nots area. This did not make sense to me, really. I played with everyone, long, short, ugly, clean, dirty, clever, not so clever, and this have-not thing did not make sense to me at all.

Now as we all know by now, we had a color issue, or than a straightly-put, a Stupid issue. We did not have a language issue, like in the bible time when God separated people. We had a color issue. We had blacks, we had whites, we had indianos, we had Chinese, we had the Khois, we had the Sans, we had the bush-man and we had coloreds, for not all coloreds are from the Khoi or San or bushman.

I still don't understand what that means though, because then all Brazilians should also be colored right? But yes we had them as well. So we fought for the “discoloration” of the South African population. Nothing happened though, cause we still have blacks and indianos and colored and khois and sans and bushmen.

So as some people of color were killed because some thought that this discoloration of our societies are a good thing and should happen earlier rather than later or never. So very soon we found ourselves in a state of emergency. Like Syria...for 20+ years. You cannot speak badly about the people in power; you cannot make known your feeling about this discoloration of our country. Now, it would have been great if we were one color though, but what to do if one needs to make black, white or colored, black. This was not an easy thing to do. We needed some idea from some genius to get this discoloration all sorted out.  

It was then that I heard of this man called Nelson Mandela. Everyone had his name on their lips and I wasn't sure what it was about. Then I found out that this is the man that stands at the forefront of this discoloration idea. I thought maybe he is a painter, maybe he is a sculptor, or maybe he knows something others don’t know. So as some people of color were slain in the effort to stand for this discoloration of SA, we found ourselves in a state of emergency again.

I surely thought we had one because many people went to hospitals and so on, but a state of emergency for the country because we wanted to live where we wanted and ride a train where we wanted and with who we wanted? What’s up wit that. It was the countries trains, right?

No wrong, it was not the people of colour in SA's train. It was the white man’s train, but the train was then black. Auw...The train was black?, yes it was black. The wheels was black,  the coaches was black. Even the smoke from the chimney was black. The only difference in passengers was colour. 

Have a good laugh

It was true enough that all black was to sit on those hard black benches, for they were black ok. I am having a good laugh at this article. I hope you will continue with me on this journey of the discolouration of South Africa and have a laugh yourself. For I think we need to start and laugh at things that is stupid. 

So where was I. Mr. Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, was send to prison because he stood firm for this DCSA, Nooooo, not Daimler Chrysler of SA, simple. What I am saying is the DCSA means the Dis-Colouration of SA. Now this man went to prison for a very long time to get this country discoloured.

It took 27 years of this man’s life and others who went abroad for this process to be completed, or should I say started? When he was released from prison, walking with his wife Mama Africa, SA took note. The world took note. Even those who did not like this DCSA, took note, for there was a wind of change blowing in this awesome country.

A new wind was blowing in this lovely country with its great expanse, with its mouth licking fruit, white beaches,  beautiful beauties, and  lovely array of flowers. This nation was never going to be the same, or so I thought. The ANC was voted into power on 14 April 1994 by the people of this lovely country, with the ANC taking nearly 70% of the national vote.

On 10 May 1994, Nelson Mandela addressed the nation in the first democratically elected president of the United Provinces of South Africa. South Africa had a new step to itself.

A new voice was heard on the horizon. “Free at last, free at last, thank God we are free at last”, or were we?  The aspirations of millions came alive and new hope flamed up for this powerhouse of Africa. I still remember Mandela saying and I quote “I have dedicated my life to the struggle for the African people". I listened to a man that gave his all for this nation and its people.

I listened to someone who believed in a free and fare South Africa, a South Africa without the names of the likes, " Kaffir, Hotnot etc" and I listened to a man whose heart undergone a massive "operation" of sorts. I listened to a man who kept his word, a man you could trust, a man I admire. This man Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, alias Madiba.

So the new struggle began. A new fight, a brand new mindset came about. This mindset was freedom, services, and open schools, open universities, open jobs, open careers. Open everything. We had a new vision in mind and it was BIG and MASSIVE, Another LONG WALK TO FREEDOM. 

Poverty

Have we really gained our freedom?? ? Many South Africans still ask this question after 18 years of democracy, after a successful Rugby world Cup in 1996, after a great Football world Cup in 2011. Have we gained our freedom? Poverty is still rife in many areas of this country, many people do not have a proper roof to sleep under, many other's just live from day to day to survive. Many do not have clean drinking water from a tap in their homes. Have we gained our freedom??

I said I was listening to the news, reading the papers, watching TV  and reading the papers of many countries surrounding the state of South Africa, to give me a good insight into where we are in this country today. I feel saddened to report to you some things have changed, some things have not.

Some things not yet. Some things will never.......I know this is a long read, but please bear with me. This is so essential for us today. We need to reflect and know where we are, where we going and where we are not going.

I want to reflect on the things that I have seen change since we left the old and entered the new.  

We have had 4 presidents since 1994.  We had  Mr Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, then Thabo Mbeki, then Kgalema Motlanthe, and then lastly our own current incombant Mr. Jacob Zuma.

We had ministers come and go, but to note one person - Minster of Finance under Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, minister in the presidency under Mr Jacob Zuma, the one and only Trevor Manual. We have seen houses build for some of the poorest of the poor, or so I hope. We have seen water and sanitation brought to millions. I only hope that this wasn't done with the motive just to rob this nation of so much needed currency through corruption. We have seen president's homes revamped for millions of rands. We have seen ministers, the new elite, driving cars worth millions and Trevor Manual is not excluded here. We have seen street names and province’s names change, we have seen cities names change. More people of color have moved into the neighborhood of non colored people.

TIK started to ravage our communities, firstly the colored and the rest soon followed suit. I do not know if this government is interested at all in the state of the colored community. Now this one thing I am sure, as I am typing this article, they will affect the outcome of SA politics in future. Citizens of other countries have invaded our streets and malls with businesses while we do not have the recourses to and is not given the chance by banks etc also to do it. I went into a shop in my hometown, and believe you me. I went into an Indian shop.

I need you to understand, I am not talking about a Durban Indian. I am talking about an Indiano, Indian. He is running a shop in Oudtshoorn, with no single people of the colored community employed. I believe his brother and step father and brother in law and which ever Indian he could find is working for him. Now you tell me how is that for protecting SA interest.

People please do not misunderstand my point. What I am saying is, if any South African is working abroad or having a business, it is in the interest of that country to have him or her there. Not so with the current South African situation. My question is, did someone get a nice kick-back for providing the paperwork for these people? No doubt in my mind.

Does government even know how many Indian is streaming across the customs line to come and open a small shop here? No country in this world would ever allow people to come and just open a shop and make money and send it back to their home country for retirement, without giving back to the community in which they have them.  The same goes for all the other people from countries which do not have political problems.

Now this has changed. What I cannot understand is, why does all these people come put up shop in colored areas only? Coloreds also need to wake up and see what is happening. This one thing I declare. Not a single cent of mine will change hands with these people. Not until our community benefits from their business. They sow nothing back, not a dime. Hey people of color, please wake up and smell the roses. Support our local people, man. How’s your minds then?

We have seen a lowering of personal tax, but other taxes have been implemented to level the playing fields again. So what did government do? They lowered income tax, but increased fuel levies, electricity, internet use [Telkom/ government owned].  Our property taxes have at least doubled over the last few years. We have seen more tourists coming into SA, we have seen an increase of public figures been taken to court for various things. These things range from theft, corruption, murder, rape and drunken driving and it goes on. Oh and then I don't want to forget that we also seen climate-change.

Then we have seen our electricity sky-rocketed to unthinkable pricing with the reason’s being given that new nuclear power stations will be build and old power stations not in use be started again, but also new coal stations build. I have seen the latter happening but nothing of the rest, according to my knowledge.  We also seen car companies, for your knowledge, most of them taken to court for "Price-Fixing" or then trying to scrape the last scraps from the South African public. We have seen BEE taking off, but just to benefit the already rich or the up and coming. Now this is but a few thing I have noticed changing. I have seen great music artists coming to SA. Do they come because the money of the Americas and Europe’s is drying up? Are they coming here to give something to this nation? I have seen politicians changing party like chips change from hand to mouth. One thing I am sure about, party Politics is going to change in the future, and I put all my money on that. Actually it is already happening.

Then there was the “Toilet Saga”. My good Lord, how can politicians fight over toilets, are they silly? Toilets??? Yes toilets people, toilets. I guess you all know this by now that the DA had opened toilets on the cape flats and then the ANC had open toilets somewhere else. So who did not have open toilets? I guess no white person had an open toilet. Now this is not an attack on whites what so ever, it is reality on the ground. So I hope by now these toilets were fixed and closed and I hope they compensated those for sitting in an open toilet and humiliating people.

Then there was the email that flew around about the open toilets in Cape town. I still would like to meet the idiot who thought it funny to take a photo of a child sitting with his pants down on one of these toilets.  It was not funny, well not to me. It was degrading to the child, it was abusive, it should have been taken to court. I wish I can meet that person. I hope he or she read this part and reads it again. Clever people do not use children to prove their case. Big business use children to sell their products, yes.

Now, in sport we had the Simanye saga. I am glad ASA was disbanded, for they were really a bunch of liars and cheats. I am glad this woman is back in athletics and competing again.

Now I want to look at things I think have not changed.

I myself have moved into a new house, and a nice one at that. This is not just any house it is a nice house, with a lovely view of the sea that is. My cars haven’t changed since 1997; I only bought a pick-up to help with bigger things. That is it about me. Table Mountain is still the same with its beautiful views of the city of life. The botanical gardens are just as beautiful as ever. Now there are people's lives living in areas of deep poverty and neglect that have not changed. Many of these people lives in rural communities because that is where they lived to stay alive during the "Coloration period of our country". Attitudes of most races towards each other have not really changed, or should I say not yet.

The constitution of this country reads: "South Africa belongs to all that live in it", and that is true, then it goes on to say in the bill of rights concerning children, "A child’s best interest are of paramount importance in every matter concerning that child". Now I do know that governance of utmost importance, but why are children’s issues nearly last and that after property, environment, labor relations and I go on, yes it is number 28, there is 27 more important things on the governments mind then our children which forms the back-bone of our future. Now that has not changed and I state this NEEDS to change.

Maybe also the reason why I did not get a personal response from our president concerning a letter I wrote him on child and women abuse,  is because he is more concerned about taxes and street names and votes and his own house’s revamp and yes there's again 4 things before kid’s who is our future. So you were right, that did not change either.  

Something else that also have not changed is the way traffic officers illegally tries makes money for the government or rather steals from the wider public, sitting in cars and trapping people for speeding etc. They know it is illegal, but they still do it.  People, know your rights and fight for it. Oh and don’t let me forget the song of the millennium “Kill the boer, Kill the farmer". My good Lord even that have not changed. No, actually I am wrong it has somewhat, you see it is not "Kill the boer kill the farmer anymore, it is” Kiss the boer, kiss the farmer". Hahahahahahaha……. Juliaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas, Jou lekka Deng……………..I am so sorry and should apologies to “July” Malema, for I think if you are not a president of a nation you do not need bodyguards for protection and that with machine guns and all.  It tells me you are a sissy and I hope the youth of this country does not listen to a sissy.

So where are we, oh at things that have not changed?

The Bergies is still bergies and still not even noticed on the streets. The street children are still around looking for something to eat or steal, in order to make a living. The sad thing is that most of these children are actually slaves for adults who sit’s close to traffic lights waiting for whatever the kids picks up. Have you seen that? Now this is the real reason also why crime is so rife in this lovely country, and that this because we still don’t care for one another. I heard someone else said to the other, that whites will never change and I mean it was said like this “A good white man is a dead white”. Now how can we change if we do not accept

the fact that we are different. We have different ancestors, we have different cultures, we have different colors, and we have different agendas, different religions, and we have different differences. Cmon South Africa. Cmon whitey, give the other’s a bit of the gravey also. Cmon XHoza, Zulu colored and Indian, let’s work to make this country great.

Something that have not changed is the fact that the hearts of this country has not changed towards each other. The whites still think the country was stolen from them. The blacks think they are still having a raw deal. The Indian, let me rather say Durban or Cape town Indians still think they do not need to work. They can just do business and they’ll be fine. The coloreds think, well where do we stand in all this mess??? But actually history tells us that this country belongs to the Khoi, San and Bushman, from who the colored stems.  Now this has not change. The people to whom the country actually belongs still does not rule the country. I do hope you don’t think that I am stirring up a thing here. Well I am, for there are too many misconceptions about the history of this country. The Khoi and San and bushmen were here. The blacks came from the north and the whites also came from the far North.

Now to what might never change.

Now this is a dangerous issue for I might be completely wrong. But I will take on the task and finish it.

This country of ours will never change. We have the most beautiful country in the world. We have one of the most tolerant peoples in the world.  That will never change. We might never ever see a white man or woman leading this country. This, I say very softly, for the winds of change is around again. Looking at the Arab spring….. Anything is possible. Corruption will always be there, and by that I mean everywhere. We get corrupt businesses, politicians, church leaders, Imams and the list goes on…

One thing I really hope will never change is the idea of Ubuntu…. Live, and let live. We will always have the rich and the poor. We will always have and the have-nots. We will always have the arrogant and the informed. I really hope I made you laugh a bit, for it is healing to the soul.

Awe, I said it, yes I have said it. We have different differences. Now I am proud of myself and think I need to become a writer in my own right. Or maybe not,  because some may think I am crazy. So ….what, if I’m crazy.

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