Every festivity has an ending, watch out drunkards!

Once upon a time, in some piece of land (South Africa), there were a people (ANC) fighting for a fair share of their land’s breweries [hereafter referred to as SAB (state resources). At the time, a handful of the population (apartheid SA) were in charge of SAB and the people had a very little booze at their disposal. The people were determine and went all out fighting for equal distribution of the brewery.

The people, in the little booze that they had, they developed a spirit of oneness and everyone had a sip in the relatively little alcohol they had. Their number was very high compared to the beers they had at their disposal and as such they couldn’t get drunk (corruption), which kinda gave them an upper edge in their fight as the generals (National Party) at SAB were getting more drunk by day. It made sense because I mean these guys had alcohol galore regardless of the small number they were.

Then one day (27 April 1994), all the SAB generals passed out from a black out due to excessive drinking. When this happened, the people finally had their dream come true as this passing out meant that everyone would now have a fair share of beers at SAB.  Everyone celebrated a victory of the people but perhaps too early was their excitement.

Now that everyone was to get an equal share of the SAB liquor, some group of individuals (corrupt and power-hungry ANC politicians) who wanted to get more drunk (wealthy)  than the rest emerged.  They would steal huge chunks of booze and also started on the sides another small SAB for themselves. They enjoyed their new mission (looting) and falsely believed no one noticed that they were getting drunk than the entire people.

Then one day they had already stolen more than half of the alcohol galore at SAB, they decided to leave the brewery. They staged an endless big exclusive party/bash in a local house (government) that had high walls that no uninvited guest would interrupt their party (milking the state and control over state resources). drunkardness

Its then day 1 of the bash staged outside the house but within the high walls and no one could see all the exciting dance moves (corruption) that went down inside. The music was very loud with the noisiest subwoofer speakers. Then see-through cracks started showing in those high walls and the curious ones (media) who had been standing just outside started peeping through the cracks. They could at least now catch a little glimpse of the party inside, all thanks to the loud music that triggered their curiosity. 

As curious and concerned as they were, they ran around the neighbourhood telling the people what (corruption) they had seen. A few of the locals bought the story, with the rest “minding my own business”. Then the cracks worsened and the high walls eventually collapsed. Some of the locals who had “mind my own business” also got a sight of the bash but the drunkards (corrupt politicians) quickly ran inside the house to proceed with the party as drunk as they were.

Then again, the drunkards fell asleep inside the house and the walls of the house also collapsed. The people were under the impression that now it’s an open bash for everyone. But eish, little did they know that the booze inside had dried up. On everyone’s mind, as shocked as they were: “what are we going to do now because these chaps had taken a huge 2/3 bulk of the alcohol at the SAB?”

They all stayed in hope that some brewery from somewhere will come to their rescue but sadly their hope could not be guaranteed.

A 'lost generation' by a 'losing generation'

Young people in the democratic South African black neighborhoods are generally referred to as a “lost generation”. This is mainly attributed to African youth’s obsession to western culture, but who is to blame. As a young person myself I can partly agree that indeed we are a lost generation, all thanks to our parents and elders (the losing generation)  in communities in which we grew up at.

For instance, as a black child you are told by an elder not to eat while standing and you ask why? Here is the typical response which creates more questions than answers: “Do not ask me why, that is just how it is my child”. It is human nature that no one accepts as true something with no proper or satisfactory reasoning. It is just impossible!

When African families conduct traditional rituals, young family members are normally sidelined from some “adults and the wise only” secret meetings. Then as a young one you join a charismatic church in trying to make sense of the world and in these churches everything is done in an open and automatically one finds comfort, join in and believe in their teachings. Before you know it, you are labeled the lost generation because you “do not respect African customs.” The people who are on your case are the very same as those who  refuse to provide you answers for your questions on African customs.



Typical of 21st century African youth,
most black parents hate tatoos. Image supplied.

Middle class black families usually enroll their children in former Model C English schools and such pupils are freely allowed to speak English even at home, in fact in most cases parents themselves proudly communicate to their children in English. This obviously prepares a lost generation of poor vernacular speakers and parents are to blame.

It is a rare case for African parents to spend just a minute in the table with their kids, just to share wisdom and some important pointers on African traditions. Confusingly the offspring is a lost generation when the welcoming western culture feeds the youth with all sorts of what is “immorality” in the black culture.

African languages in our land are at a “critically endangered” stage of extinction and black culture is fast losing ground. Yes, black youth is a “lost generation” and the western culture is making huge inroads and offering the warmest reception to this group of lost generation . Thanks to our elders for permitting us to get lost right in their watch.

It starts on top and goes right down to the bottom. Our elders need to change attitude and accept that this is the globalization era and as young Africans we are exposed to too much that we end up getting confused. It is their responsibility to protect African culture by explicitly educating the youth as future citizens about Africanism. With that phenomenon, black youth can without a doubt embrace and celebrate African traditions in today’s global culture.      

Bloody politicians, crewing up SA!

South African politics lost meaning the very same day (April, 27, 1994) hopeful citizens waited in long queues to vote for “a better life for all”. The blood of those who fought for that day was in vain and they must be turning on their graves as I write this piece. Shame on our selfish political leaders.

Nowadays, when the black elite morons who live lavishly in suburbs visit the townships, they feel discomfort over a “group of suspicious youth standing in a street corner.” More often than not, this group of “suspicious” young minds is conversing about their dreams of making it big one day and our visionless politicians who have crewed up our beloved country left, right and centre since the dawn of democracy in 1994. 




Citizens protesting against crippled service delivery,
thanks to our useless politicians. Photo: supplied

  In these street corner conversations, you often hear young people accusing one another: “Do not think you can do better, you would also tell lies if you were a politician; that’s the name of the game.” It is therefore confusing to observe that young people in this day and age look up to people who continuously cripple the country with no mercy whatsoever. South African border gates have become a useless mechanism as dodgy foreign nationals get in and out of our motherland as they please. These opportunists are well-known drug lords in the streets of Hillbrow and many other SA big cities, yet no politician has ever bothered to speak out against such.

Our education system and public health care are mediocre and as such no politician goes to a public hospital when ill, neither none of their children attend public schools. Surprisingly, it is these very politicians who exploit every platform given to them by media calling for “heads must roll” to those responsible for not delivering textbooks in Limpopo schools until forced to do the right thing by a court of law. All they do is talk, talk and talk while deep inside they are laughing at “stupid uneducated masses who can’t smell coffee”.

Masses are not stupid and the day shall come where we shall unite and say enough is enough. Ministers throw expensive birthday parties and establish foundations which their real meaning remains unknown. Some youth leaders say this today and the exact opposite tomorrow but claim to championing the needs of the poor masses, how do we trust such hypocrites? Others misuse public money and insist they are innocent, only to admit the truth when media pressure mounts. One is left with a question: do our politicians have what is called conscious?

A “mistake president” attends an SACP (South African Clowns Party) congress and talks about "many who do not understand democracy. One begs to ask him/herself this: does Zuma himself understand democracy? Our leaders are preoccupied about who will emerge victorious in the next conference while a hopeless graduate struggle to make ends meet. This one tells that one to tie his shoe laces while his remain untied. Its policy conference after another and less execution. We are told “the state does not have the necessary resources to make change overnight,” while on the contrary municipalities and provincial departments return to the national treasury millions of unused money.

Cadre deployment continues to fail the poor, yet we have to argue with SAMWU about getting rid of the system. The first citizen tries to be a sweetheart to everyone in the tripartite alliance; all that is in his head is reelection in the next conference. MPs pitch in the parliament only when it suits them, but fact remains their bank accounts go obese come month end. After all this, when citizens in rural areas and black townships run riot for the below par service delivery, some stupid politician jumps to the stage: “comrades, you must be patient, plans are in place to fast track service delivery in this area and these things take time.” Hello, wake up and smell coffee Mr Liar, it’s been 18 years and you have been singing the same song out of tune. One day is one day and the voice of the masses shall prevail.

From best friends to enemies, fighting for the soul of the ANC!

“We are prepared to kill and die for Zuma,” these were the words of ANC Youth League president Julius Malema in 2008 pledging his undying support for his then political best friend Jacob Zuma. This was the time Zuma had multiple corruption charges hanging over his head and the two were the best of friends in the South African political front.

In the very same year, Malema was the champion of the Zuma camp that successfully pushed out of the Union Buildings then State president Thabo Mbeki. The poor Mbeki was sacked as president in September 2008, a few months prior the end of his term in office, all thanks to the outspoken Malema who went as far as threatening the ANC National Working Committee members that “if the ANC NWC does not recall Mbeki, we will recall them.”

Then following the ANC’s victory in the 2009 general elections, Zuma became SA first citizen and couldn’t stop praising Malema that he even declared him the RSA president in the making. Things started turning sour early 2010 when Malema realised Zuma was not the man he thought he was. Malema then started comparing Zuma to his predecessor Thabo Mbeki, the very same man Malema despised in 2008 that he couldn’t stand seeing him finish the last seven months of his term in the Union Buildings.

It is during this period that Malema gained huge popularity for advocating for “economic freedom in our lifetime ideology,” an idea that Zuma did not buy, nor support in the first place. The militant Malema ran riot saying what he wants, when he wants and verbally attacked all Zuma administration ministers who opposed his nationalisation of mines ideology.

Then came the ANC National General Council in September 2010, where Zuma in his opening political address speech deeply emphasized on a need to tighten disciplinary measures against “ill-disciplined cadres in the ANC,” an indirect slap in the wrist on the firebrand ANCYL president. A few weeks after the ANC NGC, addressing ANCYL members in a rally in the Free State, Malema publicly condemned leaders who have more than one wife. Mind you Zuma is a polygamist who at the time had four wives.

From this incident, cracks between Zuma and Malema’s strong political relationship started showing. Then early 2011, the ANC Disciplinary committee charged Malema of bringing the party into disrepute by comparing Zuma to Mbeki. Malema was found guilty and penalized with a suspended sentence. Then around mid-2011, following Malema’s re-election as ANCYL president, Malema made controversial “regime change in Botswana” comments, adding that ever since the departure of Mbeki in the Union Buildings, the “African agenda” has lost its relevance.

Malema was again charged for breach of ANC constitution and was duly summoned to appear before the party’s DC. Then early in 2012, the ANC National Disciplinary Committee found Malema guilty and suspended his membership in the ANC for five years. Malema appealed his suspension, only to get an even harsher one as he was then expelled from the party. Malema again appealed his expulsion, but realising that his time in the ANC was running out, the controversial Youth League leader lashed out at Zuma and even called him a dictator and stranger to democracy.

Malema’s political woes continued and Zuma realising that the Mangaung conference is fast approaching and his need for more friends than enemies to lobby for his re-election in the conference, the ANC gaged and censored Malema to secure Zuma’s re-election in Mangaung. The final appeal process for Malema’s expulsion was concluded on the late hours of April 24 and the ANC National Disciplinary Committee of Appeals confirmed Malema's expulsion from the oldest liberation movement in the African continent.

Now the biggest question on everybody’s mind is whether or not Zuma should celebrate and rest assured of another term in Luthuli House because his biggest enemy has been eliminated out of the picture? My answer is Zuma shouldn’t celebrate as yet because if he suffers a defeat in Mangaung, Malema might make a surprise come back to the ANC and Zuma might run a risk of being removed in the Union Buildings the same way Mbeki was removed three years ago.

That is the reality of ANC politics in recent times, forever unpredictable. Who will come out victorious between the two? Only time will tell, but sure case is one must fall because you cannot two bulls in the same kraal. One thing I’m certain of though; Mangaung will separate boys from men.