Sacrifice the black child.

What SADTU (COSATU) is doing to the education of black children, today in South Africa is immoral. Walking out of the class to fight political battles with ANC (Tripartite Alliance Partner) and using the education and future of black children as a bargaining chip, cannot be justified.

Why would I say this? Two reasons: 1) There are other strategies for addressing political differences. The same SADTU (COSATU) is in alliance with the ANC. As ruling tripartite alliance (with SACP) they have a direct influence on who appoints Ministers and DGs. They COSATU leadership were at Mangaung and some were elected on the ANC NEC. What we see today is part of a political battle within the alliance. They know that there are various avenues to exercise their rights within the alliance structures, as well as parliament. Of course, whilst there were no political avenues before 1994, because of the systematic exclusion of black people from formal parliamentary political processes, there was the political and moral imperative for extra-parliamentary protest. Today things are fundamentally different. Those who don't like the way the ANC rule can re-organise themselves and either form a different party or they can vote for a different party. The strategy of sacrificing education and the future of black children today, is politically and morally unjustified.

2) It will only be the poor, black child who is sacrificed. The SADTU membership is predominantly in majority black schools, in townships and rural areas. A minuscule percentage is in the so-called model-C schools. The consequence of this is simple: It is only black, poor learners who will suffer today. SADTU argues that they can sacrifice black poor children, because there will not be a public outcry. What they are saying is this: who cares in any case for the education of black poor children?  

Don't be fooled by the argument that the aim of today's action (to remove the minister and her DG) will ultimately benefit the black learner. There is no guarantee that a new ANC minister or DG will do any better. The question is what will benefit the black learner (any learner!). My view is simply that learners benefit from competent teachers who are in class to teach. Ultimately, it will be the office-bearers of today's march who will benefit. They will show their strength in the numbers, put on their struggle T-shirt and beret for the day, make some radical statements and as a reward, they will become ANC MP's, some DG's and perhaps Ministers. They will sit where Angie and Bobby sit today. By then, a new generation will again flood the streets, whilst in the meantime the new DG's and Ministers, now with suits and ties, will drink their fine whiskey and might sometimes (through the darkened windows of their German sedans and SUV's) scoff and laugh at the poor sods, those the black children in the townships, who will still roam the streets. 

But ultimately, we should be blamed. Yes, we should be blamed for keeping quiet about this. We knew what was happening, yet we kept quiet. We kept quiet because SADTU was mos "our people". Well, they're not anymore. They're in it for the fine whiskey and the German sedans. But those children in the streets, the ones who are drunk and high on weed, who run riot in the streets... they are the chickens that will come home to roost. 

On believing in 'our potential for greatness' Mamphela Ramphele rollsup her slieve ...

Finally, some sort of political move that inspires me to blog again. No, I'm not referring to our very own JayZee's latest dance move, nor to the 'Koekie-Loekie' hit down in the Western Cape. I'm referring to the speech by Dr Mamphela Ramphele today, called Rekindling the South African dream. 

Without going in to any indepth political analysis, my surface reading of the speech suggests that Mamphela Ramphele is doing a Barack Obama on us. And I love it. She is an impressive leader. She commands worldwide respect for her public leadership role, yet she is also inspiring. (Some boardsitters are simply boring - many driven by fear of an ANC backlash or worse, redeployment - no names mentioned, Mr Prez). We are currently in a position where most of the prominent thoughtleaders of our time, have sold their souls - their heard-earned integrity at cut-down prizes for positions, money and favour with the current lot of looters. Not so with Mamphela Ramphele. She remained dignified yet scathing in her critique of the current looting of public funds at the expense of the poor. Speaking of the poor ...

Of course, one have to be careful. No-one is an angel and immune to the lure of power and money. Dr Ramphele is no socialist. She certainly is no stranger to the inner-workings of notorious institutions like the World Bank.Ideologically she will face an uphill battle amongst die-hard opponents to neo-liberal globalisation and to explain its devastating impact on poor countries. Key questions migh be, how we find a healthy tension and relationship within the various, very powerful forces shaping global trade? This is going to be a key performance area for the good doctor. If our economy is to be a up for some radical transformation, through skills development and the creation of opportunities, how will she communicate the fact that these proposals are any different from the policy proposals of the (proudly liberal) DA. Given her legacy, Dr Ramphele might be wise to pick up the scrambles from the PAC and Azapo and then with perhaps a 5-7% gain at the polls next year, push for a leadership role amongst the opposition. Those political parties carrying some sort of legacy of Black Consciousness are dead. However, Mamphela Ramphele have the opportunity to salvage something of the Biko legacy. They key question will be, whether she has the political clout, organisational machinery and the money to turn that legacy into a vibrant, imaginative dream. Will she be able to bridge the gap?

It would take more than inspiration to dig ourselfes out of the hole that we as a nation finds ourselves. I am however hopeful that it can be done and I hope with initiatives live the one of Dr Mamphela Ramphele. This was just something I wondered about: is there anything that can take us beyond the kind of crash cynicism that is so evident in the kind of nasty tweets and comments that flooded our timelines the last few hours? Perhaps we need more than inspiration, we need hard work and people committed to give their best. Yet, let us also be real here: the kind of work and effort to reverse the damage that was done the last few years under JayZee misrule, need inspiration, the courage to dream and the hope to through yourself at this task. Perhaps the words that sums up this kind of hope-filled courage comes from Dr Ramphele herself.

I have no illusions about the difficult road ahead. Bridges get trampled on. But I trust my fellow South Africans’ capacity to come together at critical times to do what others believe is impossible. I believe in our potential for greatness.

We don't need to dance and sing on this... let's get to work.

Can we learn how to live together? It seems not.

Whether is it Syria or the carnage in Northern Nigeria and Mali, it seems, we haven't yet learnt how to live together, despite our differences. Martin Luther King (Jnr) is often qouted to have said,

"We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools. This is the great challenge of the hour. This is true of individuals. It is true of nations. No individual can live alone. No nation can live alone." (December 18, 1963)

He made this statement in the context of reflecting on the scientific achievements, in the USA and the evolving one-ness of the globe, He refers in this speech to "an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny..."  Even though King was a fervant believer in the American Dream, he made a critical point about our common humanity and common destiny in dealing with the challenges we face.

I wonder though why we have not been able to learn to live together. Perhaps one of the reasons might be a blind belief in the myth that unity, asumes uniformity and that "otherness" somehow defile or compromise my way of living or believing. One of the fundamental tennets of colonial thinking is the notion of sharp distinctions and opposites... which relates to wrong or right, good or evil, pure and dirty, etc.  Have we been able to overcome this kind of thinking, as we moved towards political "independance"?

It seems that the imagination and ways of colonial mentality remained intact, even when black bodies now sit in the chambers of parliament or drive the plush German sedans (made for politicians)? In terms of this logic it therefore makes perfect sense when the current South African regime use the same laws against mineworkers protesting for equality in the workplace, that the Nationalist government wrote back in the days. It make sense when those who spread the carnage in the name of God, simply use the same weapons bought on the international arms market, enriching the usual suspects, and simply baptise it with some holy religious water.

Somehow we have to transcend this imagination. Perhaps the notion of "learning" by King, is not helpfull. How do we reshape a new imagination, core worldviews and go deeper then political expediency and learning- perhaps that's the burning bush.

Saved by questions..

Who am I; where do I come from? On the surface of it, these questions seems trivial; the answers obvious. Yet, these questions remain critical for us to find direction in life, but also, for trying to decide what and who we concern ourselves with. We often forget these.

Yet, fighting with these words, which form questions, which shake our worlds, can save us. Think back of important decisions you had to make. A key consideration perhaps was your family, or some-one close, right? Look close and ask the question: who is that person? Why is that person so important in my life? What  does it say about how I think of myself.

Today, I am reminded that there are bigger powers at play of which we are powerless. So, we have so much to learn, still and are so small in the bigger scheme of things. It reminds me of some other immortal words.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers; the moon and the stars, which you have set in place; what is a human being that you are mindful of us... 

I thank God for constantly reminding me, today of who I am, where I come from, which community I am with and who I am ultimately accountable to... Saving grace. 

I, You, And...

I wanted a job, And you gave me a bright, blue T-shirt 

I wanted dignity, And you gave me a conference 

I wanted to be some-one special, And you gave me a rock to throw at others....

I'm still without a job, dignity, and still angry... 

And you?

You wear the best designer clothes, crocodile skin shoes; 

You talk about me at your conferences

You condemn in lofty words, my 'violence'...

And I?

I'm still without a job, dignity and still angry...

The Rot Runs Deeper. Anti-Racism and Social Media.

What happened last week with...err... sorry I cannot recall her name (she's a model for FHM) should be a reminder to all of us: what happens on Twitter, doesn't stay on Twitter.  Of course, we sometimes tweet out in anger or let something silly slip out, but still, Twitter is not a confessional booth, nor the psychologist's couch. Perhaps, I'm just reminding myself of this, but it is helpful for all of us to mind what we tweet, or Facebook.

That was just a reminder.

Let me go further, if I may. The issue raised last week (again) is however not merely about how to manage our social media presence better, i.e. to emphasis better tweeting. The emphasis for me and today, was on the first part - to Mind. Most of the tweeps who lashed out against, 'what's-her-name-again?', did it with language and later, jokes that I would not consider Twitter manners, either. ( I sound very sanctimonious here, I know, by the way, I like the sound of that word, sanctimonious.) This issue is the content of her tweet and (at least for me) the fact that its not the first time that she tweeted such racist bile. This is clearly some-one who have no qualms about racist slurs and feels, as a 20 year-old, its OK. Question: Did her peers, friends, family and the people she worked with, tried to correct her and warned her about this? Which brings me to the next concern.

I wouldn't want us simply, to focus on this relatively unknown individual. The issue is: the rot runs deeper. It is more widespread. If anything, this model amongst us, reveals a rotten core, at the heart of a large chunk of the so-called 'born-frees' who are amongst us. Moreso, and here Jonathan Jansen helps us, this incident gives us a glimpse into the private, unexamined practices within social networks like family, school and within institutions which evidently continue to reproduce a new breed of racists. This new breed, make no mistake, is sophisticated, media savvy, blending up there amongst the cream of the crop. They are (almost) just like all of us. However, in unsuspecting moments of weakness, they pop out showing their true colours. Yet, very swiftly, they are dealt with-often by the same system which produced them. My concern therefore, is not primarily with those who slip through the cracks in the system and who show up unannounced and who often in a drunken stupor or fit of rage, explodes. My concern is with the herd- those who stay in the crowd, who populate Facebook groups and who support Steve Hofmeyer and his ilk, who consistently attack every institution and attempt to eradicate racism.  Of course, I am not saying that this new face of racism are only the usual lot, meaning the khaki-clad, AWB members (I don't think this FHM Mampara of the Day is, or at least she does not fit the stereotype of the Afriforum skouspel). Most of these closet racists are integrated in our society, rubbing shoulders at our workfunctions and they've simply learnt the fine art of playing the system. I would suggest that we should not be too worried about a FHM model who have let it hang out, we should rather be concerned, very concerned, about what is not said in public...

Another point, which I wont labour for now is simply this. Part of the reason why SA cannot root out this reproduction of new generations of racists, is because our popular definitions and reactions towards racism, at least as it manifest on an emotional level, which is important as it moves us towards outrage and action, is still confined to individual acts and words of a racist nature. Don't get me wrong, we must raise our voices against FHM models for using that dirty k-word, but is that all we get de-bliksem in when it comes to racism? What about the continued violent, racist nature of poverty and how black children continue to be slaughtered in our educational institutions? What about the managers of schools, who downplay the skewed nature of achievement and the racist bullying, as 'ag, you know mos.... children'. What about the simmering hatred against those other black Africans, that exploded in our faces on that bloody month of May 2008? I think you get my point. To continue to focus on these individual acts, may lead to a softening of our anger against the real forms that racism is entrenched in, i.e. our institutions and social practices today and that I missed in most of our tweets .... Perhaps we don't want to think too deep before we tweet or Facebook; perhaps we think Facebook, Twitterville or the Twitterverse is not the space for that kind of engagement. In order for Twitter and Facebook to really play a meaningful role in combating racism, to play a critical role of for us to craft an anti-racism strategy for social media, it would be for us to go beyond mere reactionary responses to the models FHM give us, it is to mind what we tweet. An anti-racism strategy which want to uproot the rot, will have to cut deeper. That's how we can combat the real evil.... at work.

Horrified by torture and rape of 8 year old, CYM speaks out.

I hear this morning on MetroFM, of the horror story of a 8 year old girl, still in her school uniform, who was raped and mutilated, somewhere in Kwazulu Natal. One of her eyes was gouged out and, with blood streaming down her face, she had to crawl home after the brutal attack. The alleged perpetrator, was a 15 year old boy. Apparantly the granny turned her grandson in this morning, stating that he is a 'normal' boy. How can one simply turn  your head and walk away, from this? 

Honestly, I don't know what to say.  Let me rather post the strong statement from the Christian Youth Ministry (CYM):


 The Christian Youth Ministry is extremely horrified and shocked by the ever increasing inhumane and barbaric acts perpetrated by some males in South Africa, as evidenced by the gang rape of a 17-year old girl by seven males in Soweto and other areas in the country. We call upon all South African men, women, youth and children to outrightly reject any forms of violence by continuing to expose these acts.
Rape and violence against women is a social time bomb in South Africa and a country plan is urgently needed to address sexual violence.
Christian Youth Ministry is deeply disappointed and worried by unabating high levels of rape and violence against women in South Africa.
The sector also seeks to clearly state that sexual violence can only be stemmed by a strong and effective criminal justice system supported by social and community partnership that

• Educates young boys and men about human and women’s rights,
• Build Strong Moral values
• Builds respect and promote humanity and gender equality,
• Actively opposes violence and sexual violence against women.

Christian Youth Ministry calls on all men and boys of South Africa, especially prominent leaders, to be part of the fight against this horrific scourge by challenging social norms that allows such acts to continue. We call on all men and boys to lead by example and reject the objectification of women and girls and expose violence against women and children in their communities and families.
We welcome the arrest of of the perpetrators who gang raped a 17 year old girl in Soweto recently and the arrest of the men who brutally killed Miss Pretty Nontombi Jonginamba (14) in her mother's home in Gugulethu last week, and also a horror story of a 8 year old, who was raped and her one eye brutally gouged out by a 15 year old boy. She had to crawl home and now in hospital in a serious condition. It happened in Mvuthini in the area of Gingindlovu, KZN we demand for swift justice against the perpetrators.
We call upon all the Christian Youth members to say enough is enough and take a pro-active approach in dealing with crime in our society.
We also send our regrets to the families of women and girls who have been brutally murdered, raped and sexually assaulted in our communities.
Statement for Christian Youth Ministry
 
Mdlayedwa Mthombeni
General Scretary
Christian Youth Ministry
Uniting Reformed Church Southern Africa,
073 353 8928