Finalay Got The White Man's Ice Cream, Watch us Eat it in the Sun

Those born to become South Africa’s 1970s youth looked at the future in pain but the very real promise of  joy in their hearts. The June 16 1976 youth uprising , culminating with the death of the young boy-hector Peterson- helped put the plight of South Africans, and by extension Southern Africans right in the world’s centre stage. Journalist, and news agencies were forced to look at this ‘separate development’ puppy in new light-or is it the light they ignored?. They were forced see it as the monster it was. As such the regime of time could no longer afford to sell their experimental and ideal society to its military and economic allies. The final fruits of  the South Africa British Company were falling from the tree and no one wanted to pick them up and eat them.

Because of this the South African government of the time conceded defeat and called the African National Congress onto the sitting room and therein chattered the future of not just South Africa but that Southern Africa as a whole.

Unfortunately it was not everyone who was in the discussion room. As such much of the battles were won but the war was lost. Consider the fact that much of black man’s ideal leaders were born under the old government. They wanted a bright future and to many of them that future was futile if the regime went on standing. They wanted the white man’s ice cream so much that they felt compelled- and in truth morally compelled-to fight for at least a lick. In Mandela’s Long walk to freedom we notice that to the believers of the struggle, the freedom ice cream was not a distant futile dream but was rather something tangible and achievable; all they had to do was fight until they get it.

For parties such as was the IFP however, the whole affair was rather too drastic even in the short term. They had come to Gauteng not for a long fight with the whites but to work in the mines so as to feed their families who were living on quite untamable land; a land they could not farm and thus have enough food from. Their cattle was nothing but a shadow of what it once was because of live stock tax and farm rent. Even my grandfather’s dog was liable to tax. The government saw these and exploited it to the fullest possible level. War broke out and brother killed brother not really because of ideals but rather because of  the other’s need to feed his family now, not postponing it to a future non them both could be certain off.

Fast forward to today and you will see a different South Africa. We have achieved at least one very important opportunity. The opportunity to express our abilities and to chase the dreams we each dream each night. Unfortunately we did not only lost the war but we lost our once upon a time ideal leaders. Some went to death, some lived on and some disappeared into the gutters of parliament, parties and greed.

Off all of them, I worry most about those who went into parliament and into parties. This are the ones we elected and gave them a chance to govern over us not just as a country but as people. As beings; individuals who think  and feel.

Following is a list of things why they worry me.

Ø Do they know what parliament is

We know what parliament is; that big house in Pretoria where on whose parking lot black cars park and big men walk out into every now and again.

As a result, these men become very wealthy and grow a bit too much by their stomachs and little else. We the ordinary still remember what parliament is. It that in 90 Plein Street, in whose spacious room my people’s representatives gain means by which to upgrade my peoples’ lives from this shameful tokenism to real live ice cream and cheese onto the breakfast table each day every day. Have these members of parliament forgotten this simple promise?

Parliament is not for debate. It is for finding means by which the people they represent can be able to provide for themselves and live.

Ø They seem to serve themselves

It seems-well at least to me-the so called parliamentarians (is parliament a country?) help us only to generate more votes for themselves and the parties they serve us under. This they do by various tactics but the most useful and widely usable is that of tickling of  the people’s ears; that is to speak and tell the people what they like to here and not the truth. The ANC is partially a good example of this. Seven years ago, they were forced to remove the former president Mbeki from the presidential office. There are allegations that Zuma had something to do with it…I dare say I have my doubts here- but he was removed and Zuma went into office. He gave some very much needed stability to the country and stopped the polarization that was soon going to render the country ungovernable. Mbeki was a strong believer of the African spirit. As such the primary concern of his thoughts was on stabilizing Africa as a whole. It therefore came easy for him to work with countries as a mediator in their political and economical problems.

Zuma, my president followed suit and was as such instrumental in stabilizing Zimbabwe and Lesotho.  Unlike Mbeki, Zuma has not achieved much in terms of  economics, his primary concern is rather  sociological. He has started the Zuma Foundation and some agricultural concerns. H e tried his hand at developing rural towns…His start and end was Inkadla. We were all happy but it was not for long. In 2014 Inkandla turned from being the Zulu’s pride to his shame. Zuma upgraded his home from an unknown value up to R250 million.  It was a noose but it is one noose that made him very rich, at least for now.

Malema, the Commander in chief of EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) is also questionable when money is invited into the house. He was once a very firm supporter of Mr. Zuma. He made the mistake of speaking and questioning very sensitive land politics out in the open and as a result was ejected by the ANC and slammed with a hefty tax evasion scandal from nowhere. He then started the EFF and came back into parliament as the ANC and president Zuma’s arch enemy number one, rendering our parliament ungovernable. The EFF is full of youth, youth that ask very relevant questions but are these questions born of genuine need to serve the people or are they simply personal?

Ø They protect each other at the average person’s expense

I am sure Mandela never approved of the South Africa of 2012. Marikana saw a slaughter of many a miners who had left their homes in hope of changing their breakfast into something they don’t just have to stomach to survive another day but something they can actually enjoy doing. The workers died at the hands of the law. This I assert because they were killed by the very thing that reminds us of the Law, the police. It might not seem so but this is a very deep thing. It touches at some pillars that were supposed to help prevent things such as the Marikana slaughter from happening.

One such pillar is in the person of our Vise President, Mr. Cyril Rhamaphosa. It is said that in his personal non presidential capacity Rhamaphosa-and many like him- was fitted into the country’s many business chambers so as to be the people’s watch dog. He was to help prevent questionable business maneuvers undertaken by business houses in their quest for more profit. He is very good in business, he always was but this, it seems ended up being his downfall from grace. The events unearthed by the Phalum Commission make him a questionable man. It not just him but also the new police commoner, Mrs. Rhea Phiega; Rhea asserts herself innocent but many do not see it that way. Her sending police to suppress the unlawful protest happening at Marikana is seen by some defenders of the miners as rather too military inspired. This resulted into people questioning her suitability for the office she presides over. The question is; can a it be wise that a Police Commissioner with no police background be allowed to actually exist?

What I find suspect is the over use of commissions to sift through the problems that this politically connected people seem to find themselves always in.

Are courts really ill-equipped for these problems or is it a way to protect each other much more fiercer when the time comes....

This post is unfortunately very much unfinished. Please waite for its soon to be finished brother...Next week Tuesday.