South Africa sitting on ticking time-bomb

I would like to take this opportunity and congratulate South African young people who made history this week. They marched from Johannesburg to Pretoria all in a bid to demand economic freedom. Many young black professionals are without jobs. There is no equal opportunity between young black people and white people in this country. I am one of the people who blame this tragedy on the Codesa negotiations, in which banned political parties sat with the apartheid government and sold us out. They settled for political freedom and let go of economic freedom. The political freedom they got ensured a certain future for themselves and their children. We still live in poverty.

The past was more than unfair to the black people of South Africa. I however have reservations about people leading the marches against economic inequality. Julius Malema is accused of enjoying kick-backs of government tenders. He has no university degree, lives in an upmarket suburb and drives a Range Rover. It is very difficult of join in a cause led by people like him. As my friend and colleague Iman Rapetti said, there is something raw and honest about the march.

Many commentators were too scared to endorse and support the marchers. But i believe that deep in their hearts of hearts, they know the truth. So many of my acquaintances were tweeting and updating their facebook status using their iPhones, Android and Blackberry smartphones, rebuking and ridiculing the marchers.

Fortunately there are people like me and Lucky-Girl Lekganyane who survive poverty and make the best of what we have. And so we are able to see such people and defend our long road to economic freedom.  I saw one update from a facebook friend of mine who said, “How is marching going to solve your problems. We are going to be stuck in traffic for nothing.” At least she has a car that she will sit in comfortably when my borthers and sisters brave the heat wave and run just to make a point to the people who are at the helm of our economy.

Most of the people in the march cannot secure meetings with people in power, they cannot secure job interviews and someone out there is worried about being stuck in traffic. Someone in my neighbourhood is not sure if they will have dinner.

Something unpresidential about this man

The same man who survived corruption charges and acquitted on the rape charges and then propelled to the most powerful position in my country is now cracking the whip. He fired two of his cabinet ministers who were exposed by our Public Protector Thuli Madonsela. In my view, she is the “man”. The rotting behaviour of our cabinet ministers has been overlooked for too long. But we should commend the president for his actions which included the suspension of the police commissioner who is also embroiled in allegations of massive corruption.

Getting deep into politics, it is highly unlikely that President Jacob Zuma will see another term in office. This is the man who was elevated to power to spite Thabo Mbeki who was hated by a strong faction of the party. Zuma was not elected because he was loved, he was used to disrespectfully oust Mbeki. And now we see from the way he reads his speech to the way he avoids answering questions from the media without being briefed. There is just something unpresidential about him. but his gripe with the powerful youth league is way deeper than that.

There's already talk of Kgalema Motlanthe becoming the next ANC president. Julius Malema made it clear at the march for economic freedom that Zuma is history. This is despite Malema facing expulsion from the party. I dare the ANC to expel Malema after making history of drawing thousands to Pretoria to the economic freedom march.

We are living in interesting times. But my wish is that when they engage in their fight for power, they also remember those black orphans who lost their parents to HIV. I pray that they will remember the gogos who are trying to make ends meet with their meagre pension money to feed their orphaned grandkids. They should think about the unemployed professionals. The kids with no plan to go to university.

Religion is not a value

Not too many of my friends are religious. But when the topic or debate on Religion comes up, some hide and some take me on. I know most people do not talk about religion. Simply because it does not enter our daily lives. Today I had a conversation with an old lady who wanted to know the meaning of my red and white beads. She used religion to convince me that following traditions and custom was wrong. She referred to her religion as a value.

I then realised we had different values. I also believe that religion is not a value. Spirituality and the belief in God, I believe those are values. Religion is a discipline. The kind that pretends to be about love, family and charity. But it is instead a vehicle of hatred and war.

Some say it is politically incorrect to celebrate Christmas. Christians get upset and moan about the Jewish Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah and Passover.  And then it degenerates to the war in the Middle East. Jews and Muslims. The persecution of gay and lesbian people. Then you ask yourself what kind of religion wants to make other human beings disappear off the face of the earth. The Pope sits at the Vatican while children are molested and their future quashed by ordained priest. This is all within a religion. Some people use Islam to vent. Suicide bombs. Religion is not a value. Spirituality and the belief in God is. Amen.

Thanksgiving Ceremony 16 June 2010

No one will ever know

I am sure every gay man has had the question asked to them; “Are you the woman or the man”. Society has nobody but themselves to blame. Minorities in our communities were never allowed to be themselves. Some of us were family secrets. Being a homosexual gave some of my friends a permanent status of being black sheep. Some of them never survived the stigma and pressures and never made it in life. Some endured, thrived and survived the unbearable conditions. Times have changed. The “mainstream” regular people look at us as some sort of exhibition. Do you guys do it in the ass, they would inquire. Some would fall on their faces in prayer asking God to save us. Even worse, we would be cursed. But it shouldn’t be like this.

It was not supposed to be a surprise or a shock that a man left his wife for another man. Had we been allowed to and integrated in the society, our lives would not be labelled abominable and a sin. If the church had been in the true spirit of our Lord Christ, we would all co-exist without being demonised. So many women would have been saved from the pain of finding out now that they are married to men who are actually homosexual. Society kept them in their deep, dark closets.

This only made some of the gay men vengeful. They were on the crusade to drag some of these men out of the closet. It hurt people. They didn’t care because it was the only way to get back society. For shackling us and not let us be part of them.

Now that the times are changing, some people are becoming more accepting; some are calling the end of our days.  The end of the world. Well it is the end of the world for you. When you die, it will be the end of you. Just like it will be the end of me when I die. We do not want to be accommodated, we want to be accepted.

Closing the China Debate

I may be a little late on the protest wagon and i am sure that is the feeling many people who will read this. But I know that I will go back to this text, if I am dead someone else will and say i stood up against this ticking time bomb.

It is one thing for them to acquire manufacturing companies, exploit our cheap labour, but singlehandedly forcing us to join them in their crusade of abusing human rights? That is just outrageous! Our government is supposed to be safeguarding our individual liberties. Including having our Tibetans friends for our birthday parties. The Chinese buy companies here, you would think they would play by our rules. And if they don’t play by our rules, what more effective insidious way to circumvent our laws than gain control of the office of Minister Maite Nkoane-Mashabane? Huh?

Look, I am certain China is a beautiful country. I want to visit their walls, but the idea of the Chinese coming here  and grabbing our government by their balls is terrifying. Their record on human rights is atrocious. They do not support freedom of speech. I am certain if you are reading this blog, you will not be in China. There is no freedom of religion there! They support Sudan which enabled them to contribute to the genocide in Darfur. They pretend they do not see the female infanticide. They force abortion. They practice torture. China’s economy is way bigger than ours. That’s not even a question. They have so much money invested here now, it is well to say; they own us. Their goal of becoming a civilization power is almost achieved.  Almost? What am i talking about?  Damn they have the wealth to achieve that. They have bought our government! We are just like a Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchise. A wise old clergy said, “Watch out!” and I am warning you too fellow South Africans. Watch Out! I am a drop in an ocean and they would laugh at me if i said i didn’t want to fall into their hands.

Despite the beautifully compiled constitution, it is ludicrous to think we will be tough on their human rights violations, because we haven’t been. Why? Because they own us. In the words of Hillary Rotham Clinton, “How do you get tough with your banker?”

I know and understand the new world order. Even the United States will one day be a labourer to China. I see that coming. As far as our constitution goes, the blood of our people was shed for it. How can we be so submissive and docile?