12 LETTERS
PEOPLE'S POST | WOODSTOCK | MAITLAND Thursday, 12 December 2013
EDITORIAL COMMENT
A new fate
Nelson Mandela’s struggle is over. But not his legacy. South Africa is in a prime position to forge a future resplendent with living examples of how we have truly honoured Madiba’s magic. And that magic is still present. One need only hop onto any of the social network sites. Profiles sharing Barack Obama’s deeply moving speech, liking selected Mandela quotes, writing achingly sincere and heartfelt tweets – all physical expressions of our grief and our elation. Yes, elation. Many have divested themselves of refined prejudice and polished racism. Many are free of the blinkers. And they feel fantastic. Many now understand the world in an altered and more informed context. Elation. Freedom. And the recognition that we share this country with so many others, so many people who are different than us, so many who don’t conform to the previous collective comfortable and bigoted notions of How Things Ought to Be. Nelson Mandela shifted a world’s thinking. And he was only human. Imagine what could be achieved if we all strived towards being less selfish? And let’s abandon the word tolerance. That denotes that some level – a smidgen – of disdain still lingers. Nelson Mandela accepted the fact he shares this country, this world, with people markedly different to him. People of different backgrounds as well as different political, cultural and religious beliefs. He made it work. That is why we mourn such a great man. He showed us that peace and understanding and harmony aren’t elusive abstract ideas. They are very real. It’s all part of the Madiba magic within. Rest well, Tata.
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Aluta continua, SA!
This is not the South Africa many fought for. We are not just angry about the e-tolls because it means less money in an already thin wallet every month. We are angry because the people that fought for the freedoms of this country did not surrender their lives so that rampant corruption can continue unchecked, while unscrupulous politicians make a mockery of the justice system. Evil thrives when good people do nothing. The forced e-tolling is a final straw that is enough to make South Africans actually want to fight back against an unjust system. When we decide to stand for something, it means we will inevitably stand against something. The issue is not about having a “white” government or a “black” government. We want to strive and contend for a just government. It breaks my heart when I think of the likes of Solomon Mahlangu – who died a year before I was born – who bravely surrendered their lives for the hope of a better future for the people of this country. His words haunt me: “…Tell my people that I love them and that they must continue the struggle. My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom.” As an Indian woman, I enjoy some of the fruits of freedom that people like Solomon died for. Twenty years ago, I would not have been able to marry the won-
derful white Afrikaans man that I now call my husband. Now, in the new South Africa, finding love across the colour line is not against the law. Despite the hardships that my family has endured, I have been able to work hard and live in an area of my choice, all the while striving for excellence in areas of work and finding ways to make a positive contribution to society. This is not someone else’s problem to fix. This is my country. These are my people. The fight must continue with me because if I do nothing, then I will fail the next generation who inherit a country robbed of its rich potential. I fail myself and the people who gave their lives for my hard-won freedom if I sit back and complain and don’t take positive action. These are the things I can do – and choose to do – to exercise my freedom and redeem the power that I have to bring about positive change: I can speak up in private and public platforms – even when it feels my voice is not being heard. I still have a right to speak. I can exercise my power with my vote. I can still stay dedicated to my country and to my people – and not allow the negativity of a few poison the power of possibility still alive in my hands. I can fight for the country I want to live in. It is my responsibility. CHERYL BENADIE
Time to live Mandela’s legacy Now that the late former president Nelson Mandela is no more, it is time for South Africans to think about our future. Mandela was an icon and great leader who treated everybody the same, no matter what race. He fought for freedom for all.
What we make with that freedom is up to us. If we use it to create chaos and anarchy, his fight was all in vain. We should let his legacy live on by uniting like we like we did with the 2010 Soccer World Cup. JESSIE
Realising Madiba’s dream Much is said about the passing of Rolihlahla Mandela while attention is diverted from the radical changes we are witnessing in our society. He has, like all of us, given of himself unselfishly to build a society in which we live in peace and friendship and where the land is shared and we care for each other. This is not a pipedream. As Africans we yearn to be free from the apartheid bondage which keeps us divided and fighting with each other. As Marcus Solomons said: “Mandela had to close his eyes for us to open our eyes.” And with our eyes wide open, we now realise that 1994 was a step forward. It wasn’t “freedom”, “liberation”, a “revolution” or “the end of apartheid”. It was the beginnings of building a new society. The year 1994 was a negotiated deal between the people and the coloniser. We agreed to end apartheid racism, but failed to address the issue of apartheid capitalism. We agreed to a constitution which is silent on the redistribution of the land and wealth of the country. We kept the apartheid machinery in place and this is evident by the behaviour of our civil servants who behave like the old National Party. The white coloniser is still holding onto our land and our wealth, supported by a small black elite. It is unnecessary for farmworkers and mineworkers to strike for something which belongs to them. So the freedom the media is talking about only applies to a small group of people who are sitting with our resources and money. The Freedom Charter says: “Our country will never be prosperous or free until all our people live in brotherhood, enjoying
equal rights and opportunities”. We are moving forward to realise this society – together as South Africans, rich and poor, black and white, without political parties. Political parties are part of the 1994 compromise. It is this political system that we, the people, are turned into citizens who are ruled by the government. Then every five years we are given the opportunity to be heard by voting for a party of our choice. During that five year period, the political parties have a ball with our taxes, stealing and feeding themselves while the people go hungry. This is not what Rolihlahla stood for. He stood shoulder-toshoulder with his comrades, united to achieve the Freedom Charter. So, to the ANC, the party is over. Humble yourselves to be equal and not superior to the people. Let’s unite like we did before. Together, the people made this country ungovernable and brought the government to the table. We achieved the release of comrade Rolihlahla and all other political prisoners. Let the funeral of comrade Rolihlahla bring us together again. To the rich: the theft of our land and our mineral wealth is coming to an end. You are welcome to be part of the “African Awakening”. We will integrate Camps Bay, Constantia and Sandton with our indigenous African people. These places cannot continue being the playground of the rich while the indigenous African people go hungry. We call on the ANC and the elite to stop keeping apartheid capitalism alive. It cannot be saved; it is a crime against humanity. MARIO WANZA