Khaya couldn't have said it better.

Khaya Dlanga's column of the day is entitled "Why black folk don't vote DA," and it is one that all South Africans need to read. Basically, he gives all of us the real reasons why black people will not vote for the DA and I agree with him.

Firstly, black people's apartheid scars are still too deep, whether you are a born free or not, that is my opinion because in some way I am sure a black person has had an unpleasant encounter with a white person. Well this is not the reason, the reason is, and I quote: "The real reason most black people won’t vote for the DA is because they want to fix their problems for themselves. They don’t want to feel like they need a white person to solve their problems for them. If they allow the DA to take over, this is what it will feel like, “We can’t do it for ourselves, let’s let the white people fix this for us.” Yes, Mr Dlanga said it and whether you like it or not, it is true.

Some may find my views contrary to my upbringing, reason being that I didn't grow up being previously disadvantaged, I also played with Barbie dolls and talking toys and went to a ‘Model C’ school, therefore I would be one of those young twenty somethingers dancing along with other youth members of the DA, wanting Hellen Zille to be my next president...right...wrong. I believe that this country is not ready for a white person to govern because we are scared of what may happen to the future of this country. Dlanga says, "It is simple. Black people want to do it for themselves. It seems like race, but it really doesn’t have to do with race even though everything seems black and white. It’s about pride. It is about proving to ourselves that we can do it on our own." Well said and explained Mr Dlanga.

I know that some people may not be able to swallow this very well, but in a free country like ours, it is the right time to tell the truth about this country. Some white people will be very sensitive towards this issue and some have already expressed their hard feelings on Mr Dlanga's comments, but what makes me happy is that the case is closed and nobody, no matter who you are, it cannot be tampered with.

Another reason the DA will not get a black folks vote is that we don’t trust them. I still have this feeling that a white person sees me as a black person and nothing but a black person because they pretend so much. Take for example when you walk in a shopping mall and pass by a white person, they will automatically smile at you, but when you are gone that smile is wiped away immediately. Why do they feel the need to do this? Don’t shake your head, you exactly what I am talking about. That’s why the DA didn’t get the majority of black people’s votes because we just don’t trust them. Yes I said and it’s true!

We are the next generation and need to look at what needs to be done in order to fix the wrongs of our leaders and part of the fixing involves telling the truth.

Voting Day a Success!

On 18^th May 2011,   I took a taxi to Grahamstown to go and make my mark in the 2011 Municipal Elections. That day did not go on as planned, but eventually I made it to my home town.

This whole week was dedicated to elections and what the turnout would be. The day after elections was about who will win these elections. The IEC estimates 40 percent of the country’s 23.7 million registered voters cast ballots in these elections, meaning that many registered voters didn’t vote. Nonetheless, I am happy with the ANC results in particular, especially with the Makana Municipality. So far in Makana, the ANC has 20 out of 28 councils, which is an obvious win in the area. I am glad I went to cast my vote, but I feel that the ANC still has a lot to do when it comes to service delivery.

I remember watching cutting edge on the 28^th of April which was the day after Freedom Day. I must say that I was petrified with shock when I saw that there were still houses using the bucket system. To me this was a disgrace for the development of Grahamstown as a whole and also an infringement of basic human rights to the citizens. I was unhappy. After many have voted, this needs to be changed and the ANC needs to make sure that the poor are satisfied with basic services.

I did not only vote for my voice to be heard, I voted for those without a voice, whose actions have become effortless because of councillors who refuse to serve their people. If the DA were not there, I truly believe that the ANC would not have had a wake-up call because it is all thanks to Hellen Zille for keeping the party on their toes. Now is the time to go back to the drawing board and fix those mistakes made by ANC officials and start taking the people seriously. The reason for this is that our votes do count. Every one of them

DA is not getting my vote

There have been so many DA campaigns around this country and the irony of it all is that they are targeting poor black people, why? Obviously they want more votes, but what sickens me is the fact that they really don’t give a damn about us. Yes I said it, they don’t give a damn about us.
I agree that many poor people in South Africa have been undermined by the ANC and it has taken longer for other regions to get delivery, but playing the “We care for you” card is not going to work for me. I so wish the people of this country who forget so easily could read in between the lines. Hellen Zille just wants your vote in order to run this country her way. What has she done so far?

Well, let me start with the DA advert shown on SABC on how the DA has changed a woman’s life living in Tambo Square. That’s a good tactic I must say but I doubt it has fooled everyone. The woman says that ever since the DA has been in power in her area, they have electricity and basically they now have better service delivery. The irony to this is that you should see the house she lives in. it is still an informal settlement, actually, she still lives in a shack with electricity and a water tap outside, oh and most probably a toilet outside as well.

My question is how do you begin to build a number of toilets outside without walls to cover them? You must be a heartless human being stuck in the apartheid era, thinking that black people deserve less. The RDP houses I have been to in Port Elizabeth have showers and geysers. This is a luxury to some black people and yet you go to a ‘DA owned’ province, where the majority of people who run it are white, the toilets are built outside, insulting the humanity of black people.

The DA is not getting my vote in these municipal elections. I remember visiting Cape Town for the International Jazz Festival early this year and my friends told me that Hellen Zille threatened to close down all entertainment areas at midnight. I was petrified with shock because to me that meant that we are going back to the apartheid times where black people had to be indoors at a certain time.

No matter how much the DA can deny it, their best interest at heart is not with us black people and how the ANC has not done a good job in delivering for the poor, instead they want our vote next week. She has come to Port Elizabeth for the fourth time and is planning on getting votes in the metro. I say she must forget about it because my friends and family refuse to be lead by a white person.
My message to you still remains. Do vote in these upcoming municipal elections but think about your future when you tick that box.

The date is nearer

I spent the afternoon of Freedom Day, 27^th April 2011 in Grahamstown. I attended an ANC rally in commemoration of this special day where the main aim was to celebrate this day.

The double story Tanyi Hall was not packed to capacity as the weather that day was 4 degrees, allowing people to rather stay in the comfort of their homes and watch the Freedom Day celebrations on television. ANC comrades sung songs of liberation and what impressed me the most is that the majority of the people who attended this rally were members of the youth and volunteers of the ANC. My father, Mr M.D Nondzube, a former policeman and ANC veteran opened in prayer, asking the Lord to bless this congress and reminded the crowd of how quick we are to forget. He said that we forget our blessings and most of all; we forget where we came from and what it means to be free.

I see freedom as being privileged and having an opportunity to own something that belongs to me and me only. I have the power to control my day and my life in general and to me, I couldn’t ask for more. The main focus of the rally was to remember those who died in the struggle for our freedom, mainly Chris Hani, who is one of my respected heroes. Many issues within the ANC were discussed, including the fact that members are shifting to other parties who promise to deliver. This is not only a threat to the party, but is rather a challenge. I believe that if there was less fighting within the structures of the ANC and people were more united, then things would have been much better in this country.

I am young and have an opportunity to change this country. I am still a member of the ANC and will vote for them in these Local Government elections coming up, but I will not tolerate the basic human right being stolen from a member of society by those who aim to enrich themselves. Voting is an important process all over the world and one should realise that you can’t complain about how this country is run if you do not vote.

Attending this rally was an eye-opener for me as I learnt more about the history of the ANC and also the things that went wrong during the seventeen years of our democracy. I have faith that the black people in particular of our society will read in-between the lines and make an informed decision when it comes to voting during these upcoming elections. It doesn’t matter who you vote for, what matters is to exercise the freedom of your voice.

AMANDLA!

Transnet – Raising Opportunities

Transnet is a focused freight transport company, delivering integrated, efficient, safe, reliable and cost-effective services to promote economic growth in South Africa. Their main focus in the past few years was to reach the communities of this country and give back to those who are known to be unreachable by society.

Their corporate responsibilities were to assist communities especially in the rural areas with economic growth. The adopted a NGO known as SInethemba, based in Korsten, Port Elizabeth. They assisted them in Education and fundraised fifty-one-thousand rand in 2009. They donated stationary in 2010 and this year they donated shoes. The aim of Transnet is to support these children from Sinethemba and give them a brighter future.

Following this the company and its representatives traveled to Mqanduli, a rural area in the Transkei and donated two-hundred and eighty thousand rand worth of furniture (stock) to Gqubeni Primary School. They then donated five-thousand rand towards education and a gas stove. They aim to have a long-term partnership with this school and give them a start-up and lay a foundation for them to build themselves in the future.

Transnet has a skills development programme which allows them to participate in the open-schools. They offer learnerships or internships for those scholars who cannot afford to go to University or College. The target for this experiential learnership is for top scholars in Nelson Mandela Metro. They have worked with the take a girl-child to work programme which was sponsored by Cell C. They offer bursaries for engineering students and then employ them in order to give them practical exposure in the engineering industry. Learnership programmes are advertised on the Transnet website and their main focus is on the employees’ children, to give them this opportunity.

Education is spread out, and they offer learnership prgrammes in courses like Communications and Information Technology for example, but the aim of this company is to give back to the community.

The CEO of Transnet said, “I am humbled by Transnet for contributing to our society. It’s very overwhelming to see that you can make a change in someone else’s life”. The message communicated by Transnet to those who are able to give back to the community is that leaders should inspire their employees and show them how to give back.

The future plans for this company are that this year they want to achieve their goal of meeting their customer’s expectations. There will be Cargo Volumes coming through in order to give back to our communities.

A new initiative within Transnet is the food gardens project designed to provide sustainable assistance to rural communities. Such initiatives are particularly relevant in the face of the current food crisis. The high level of food insecurity experienced within rural communities makes them increasingly vulnerable to malnutrition, chronic illness and high mortality rates due to HIV/AIDS.

They also aim to install touch boards for safety, heighten moral internally, increase employment, add value to the economic state of the Eastern Cape and emphasize the need to involve other stakeholders. The company wants to excel and sustain so that they can teach their employees to excel and sustain themselves for the significant change in their lives to be seen. They focus mainly on remote and rural areas to set an example for others to give of themselves.

Within Transnet, there is a Maritime Industry which wants to invest in the economy of the Eastern Cape as well because there is a capacity to create jobs. What is vital is to set the same mindsets, to become ambassadors and create business awareness.

Local law firm a success

Founder and managing director of ZTA Incorporated - Attorneys at Law, Zaahira Tiry, is a business woman and practicing attorney who knows what the definition of success is.

After obtaining her BCOM LAW Degree at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, she decided to pursue law whole-heartedly. She then registered for the LLB Degree at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. With these qualifications, Tiry’s passion for law directed her to venture off to Johannesburg.

She then worked at the South Gauteng High Court Johannesburg as a Judges Registrar for various Judges. At that time, her intention with her career was unpredictable. “Although I was privileged to be offered an opportunity to continue working as a Judges Registrar, I opted to decline the offer and chose to do my articles whilst attending the School for Legal Practice. Soon thereafter I qualified as an Attorney. The choices I made were in line with my inner vision for success and the creation of my legacy as a professional business woman”, Tiry said.

She continues to further her career as she believes that skills development is the key to being victorious as a practicing attorney. Following this she commenced with the Magister Legum Research Qualification in Public Law in 2009, the topic of her dissertation being “The Legal Regime of Political Parties”. Her passion for law and politics was found along the journey of her life at a time when the apartheid regime was replaced by a constitutional dispensation armed with a Bill of Rights for the people of South Africa.

“My passion begins with law and politics, but my specialisation in corporate law is my ultimate joy”. She said with a smile. She has a corporate law postgraduate qualification from the University of South Africa in co –operation with L.E.A.D and is also a member of the Law Society of the Cape of Good Hope. Her achievements are inter alia the following:

•Certificate for best performance in High Court Practice

• Certificate for best performance in Matrimonial matters & Divorce; Insolvency;

Personal Injury Claims

•Certificate for Leadership

•Certificate for best performance in Attorneys Bookkeeping

•Certificate in Introduction for Trial Advocacy

•Certificate in Commercial Law

•Medal for Leadership

•Diploma in Muslim marriages

Tiry describes ZTA Incorporated as a Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) legal firm offering diversified legal services. The firm’s objective is to empower the economy by providing trusted legal services. The company’s vision is to be a leading law firm that maintains a competitive edge in the global market and to meet this vision Tiry’s goal at this point in time is obtaining eligibility from the relevant international law society in order for her to write the international legal examination.

According to Tiry, “The aim of ZTA Incorporated is to be committed to our clients, communities and beyond”. She concludes with the following words of encouragement for those seeking the fulfillment of their dreams: “My journey to success has taught me the importance of being true to yourself and choosing to crush defeat by the stance you take in your moments of weakness. My strength lies in my choice to always have confidence in the ability of a trying mind. Ultimately for me, I feared not because victory began the day sacrifice erupted”.

The glory lies in the fact that her sisters have also made their mark in the legal field. Her sister, Shanaaz Tiry Mahomed, is the first black woman patent attorney in South Africa. Her sister, Ayesha Tiry, has been an advocate and a member of the Johannesburg Bar for more than ten years. Her youngest sister, Taahira Tiry whose expertise differs from the legal eagles, has a BCOM RATIONUM Degree specialising in accounting and business management. Together they stand empowered, united and successful. Indeed, success is within our reach.

Upcoming Municipal Elections – Your Say

 

Next month on 18^th May will mark the day when communities around South Africa will make their mark for the municipal elections. In 1994, Former President Nelson Mandela made his mark and cast his first democratic vote for the African National Congress in the free and fair elections that took place.

That day will be celebrated on 27^th April to mark Freedom Day. It has been seventeen years since the birth of this country’s democracy and according to the community’s views, many things still need to be done in order for this country to stand tall and say, “We are free”.

Community Link went to the streets of Nelson Mandela Bay to find out exactly what the people have to say about these upcoming municipal elections. We all know that it is very important to register to vote in order to have a say in what goes on in your community and municipal elections are the most important elections in the country. “Local Government elections are the closest elections to the people. It’s where the communities can get services”, says ANC Councillor Cedric Pieterson from Algoa Park. He continues to say that local is where things must take place and people must participate. “You are part of a decision to pave the way in order for you to get services. We must address imbalances of the past on a local basis and this will give us an opportunity to have a say in what needs to be done in our own communities”, Pieterson said. He has emphasized how vital it is to participate in these upcoming elections and to vote for the suitable party of your choice that will make a change in your life.

Another view from Nazir Demaar, a local businessman from Parkside was that all basic rights must be given to the people of South Africa. “The ANC has done its best so far, even though there are difficulties; it takes time to undo the wrongs of the past. People must be patient with the government”, he said.

What seems to happening is that the government in power tends to forget that most votes come from the diverse youth of this country. It is vivid that many youth members are now shifting to the opposition because their calls for service delivery have been ignored. “I am voting for the DA”, said Kristy Seady, a waitress from Walmer Park. “The DA has had many accomplishments whilst the ANC is in power and they have given more to the community, whereas the ANC is falling behind. Take a look at Cape Town and Johannesburg, there is a huge difference and yet both cities are on the same standard”, she said. Seady, who represents the white community, was an ANC member and has always voted for the party, but now she is shifting to the DA because of empty promises done by the ruling party.

The old people who have contributed so much to South African history also seem to have been forgotten. Shun Pillay, a member of the ANC and businessman is not satisfied with the outcomes of his party. “I didn’t vote in the last municipal elections because I feel bitter. We as a family have worked with the ANC from day one but it saddens me to see them going into this trend of self-enrichment”, said Pillay. He asked when change is going to be done for the poor. He advised the community to teach a man to fish and that way you can feed him for a lifetime.

Other views are contrary to the above because some people of this community are satisfied with what the government has done for them so far. Yes, there are always flaws in leadership but others are able to see through those flaws and appreciate the good that has been done. Clenise Alliese, a cashier from Boysen Park expressed how happy she was with the government’s work. “I think whichever the best party is must win these upcoming elections. So far I am satisfied with government because they are going out of their way to help the people in my area”, she said.

A furious New Brighton resident, Mandisa Nontileka has not been impressed with what the government in her area is doing now that municipal elections are coming. “I doubt that I am going to vote. My reason is that I am not confident in the coucillor that will be put in place, therefore I will keep my vote”, she said. Although she won’t be voting she said that she will be happy if the ANC wins because she is still a member of the ANC.

“Our leaders should truly emulate Nelson Mandela who gave all his life for us”, says Zelda Whitebooi, a businesswoman from Uitenhage. She continued to say that leaders these days are salary-minded and are not there to serve their communities. The views expressed above by the community are very interesting; reason being that each community member speaks from their own experience when it comes to municipal elections. It is clear that our government still has a lot of work that needs to be done but it is up to the people to vote during next month’s municipal elections in order for their voices to be heard and have the power to change this country.

Going green and keeping it clean

There are many green issues affecting our society. The public needs to be informed about these issues in order to make informed decisions on how to keep our planet clean and also preserve it for the next generation.

Four environmental issues that affect me personally as well as in my community are Global Warming, Rainwater Harvesting, Climate Change and Biodiesel. These will be discussed and explained in more detail as they are all linked together.

Global warming is the increase of the average temperature on planet Earth. As the Earth gets warmer, natural disasters like earthquakes, droughts and floods occur more frequently because of the heat. There has been a fast temperature rise over the last thirty years and this has never happened before. The Earth should be in a cool-down period, but instead it is in a heating-up phase.

Global warming has affected my community in a way that the temperatures are rising even though winter is approaching. My father owns a piece of land in Salem, a farm outside Grahamstown. He’s been complaining that the rivers are dry, limiting the amount of drinking water for his livestock and the people who live there.

This has a link to climate change, being the constant changes in weather. The average pattern of weather, called climate, usually stays the same for centuries if it is left to itself, but this has not been the case because people are taking actions that have changed the earth’s climate in a significant way. Carbon dioxide is to blame. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas play a large impact on climate change. So far, we have seen this in the increase in volcanic activity like the volcanic eruption in Iceland which occurred last year.

The burning of fossil fuel for energy adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and with this happening everyday in my community, the average temperature will rise. Another effect on my community is that climate change has an impact on the increase in water levels, for example when the levels rose in 2008 in Port Elizabeth. The new risks involved now are that it will have a threat to food security and availability of water resources because people in my community grow their own food.

There are ways of decreasing harm to our planet like using the technology of rainwater harvesting. This is a method used for collecting and storing rainwater from rooftops. Rainwater harvesting is convenient as it provides water at the point of consumption. Water collected from rooftops is used for domestic purposes. The only problem with this method is that there is uncertainty of rainfall.

Another way to decrease harm is the use of Biodiesel. This is an alternative fuel made from virgin vegetable oil or animal fats. The use of biodiesel produces 80% less carbon dioxide and contains no sulphur. This affects me personally because I walk to school, therefore I inhale all the bad gases from the cars driving past.

We all need to raise awareness of sustainable energy sources. Everybody needs to play a role in keeping our planet safe to live in and start making changes in our community. The little change one makes can make a big difference in our planet.

Public health near collapse

The Herald online covered an expose on the state of the health system in the Nelson Mandela Bay on 1^st March 2011. Many things were uncovered, leaving readers shocked as to what the public healthcare of Port Elizabeth is really about.

According to the Mission Statement of public health in Nelson Mandela Bay under the Executive Director, Dr Elizabeth Mamisa Chabula-Nxiweni, it states, “The Public Health Directorate is committed, through a process of community involvement, to competitive Health and Environmental services through developmental programs to improve the quality of life of people within the NMB by maintaining a healthy and attractive environment.” This does not seem to be the case, reason being that when one compares public hospitals to private hospitals, there is an immeasurable difference.

A clear example is that the Mission Statement of Greenacres Hospital states, “Greenacres Hospital aims to surpass international standards in health care through leadership and exceptional, professional services and advanced technology. We are committed to providing safe, quality healthcare in an efficient and compassionate environment, to offer services needed by our community”

Both statements promise good healthcare to patients but there seems to be a lack somewhere. It is claimed that the total public healthcare budget is spent servicing 80 % of the population, whereas the total private healthcare sector budget is spent servicing the remaining 20 %.  These figures are based on the 7 478 040 medical scheme beneficiaries, as a proportion of the 48 687 323 South African population.

In the article extracted from The Herald it states, “Mafika’s son and neighbours called for the ambulance, but the driver refused to drive into the settlement because it was going to be difficult for them to come to our place.”

According to Adele Kennedy, Marketing Manager of Netcare Greenacres Hospital, she says emergency services of private hospitals are quicker than those of public hospitals. “The public sector provides a service to more patients than the private sector. With this in mind, their lack of sufficient vehicles and shortage of paramedics makes it difficult for them to respond to all the patients’ needs in the shortest of time.” she said.

According to a resident of Motherwell, Nyameka Maloni, “The ambulance doesn’t come to informal settlements because they are scared that the residents might throw the vehicle with stones and this area is not safe for cars.” she said.

Material Society

Labels and brands have come to define the social class of individuals around the world. Our society has conformed to this new trend of wearing expensive labels, which has now become a definition of who you are.

Many celebrities around the world are role models for young people and therefore what they wear is treated as the ‘in thing’. In a developing country like South Africa, it becomes difficult for many to keep up with these celebrities and sometimes the celebrities find it difficult to keep up with themselves. There have been many cases in South Africa where celebrities have been rumoured to have lost their assets and became broke. An example is the Jub Jub case. It has been rumoured that ever since his court cases, he has not been performing and is now living off Kelly Khumalo, his current girlfriend. This is a typical example of celebrities trying to keep up with the high class regardless of their situation. Jub Jub has denied these allegations and claim that he is not broke.

Remember Kenny Kunene’s big birthday bash? Sushi on a half-naked woman’s body? Well that is the kind of lifestyle our society wants to live and yet they tend to forget that one has to work for that kind of lifestyle. Men like Kenny Kunene, who is a former teacher and owner of Zar bar in Johannesburg tend to splurge their money left right and centre, mimicking international celebrities like P. Diddy and Jay-Z to name a few. What these men have in common is the love of money, leisure and the obsession of materialistic goods such as expensive cars, houses and clothing.

The problem with our society is that we forget that not all of us can afford expensive cars and clothes and not all of us can live that high life that some celebrities live. We have become greedy and want more than what we have. We want to conform to something that has been created and is not necessarily legit. What one needs to know in life is to constantly be happy with who you are and what you have. Material things do not define who you are, they add on to what you already have. Personally, I think we would be a much wealthier society if we could focus on trying to solve our social issues and going back to what our ancestors fought for, which is Ubuntu.

Two more wards for Makana

The provincial gazette recently announced that Makana Municipality will no longer have only 12 wards, there will now be an extra two wards which will include Rhodes University and Grahamstown's surrounding areas. The Municipal Demarcation Board has requested that Makana Municipality consults local stakeholders of the intention to start with the process of ward delimitation for this year's local elections.

Wards are areas within each municiaplity that are managed by a member of the community who is elected by the residents themselves.

In November 2009, Makana Municipality organised meetings for public participation, where ward committees, political organisations, government departments and non governmental organisations (NGOs) were invited to take part in this event in order to voice out their views on whether they agree with the fact that Grahamstown having an expansion of wards. This took place in BB Zondani Hall on 23 November 2009 and in Alicedale (Kwanonzakazi Hall), Riebeeck East (Alfred Dike Kota Hall) and Town Hall on 24 November 2009. According to the Structures Act in the Provincial Gazette of the Province of the Eastern Cape, any person with an objection may do so within 14 days after the publication of the wards in the Gazetted. This means that the Municipal Demarcation Boards is not allowed to extend these days.

In terms of the Structures Act, the MEC responsible for Local Government stated that the municipal council will no longer have 24 councillors. Spokesperson of Makana Municipality, Thandy Matebese explained that this means as from the date of the next local elections in 2011, the municipal council will consist of 28 councillors. After having consulted the Independent Electoral Commission, the Municipal Demarcation Board has expanded the municipality into 14 wards. Ward 13 has 2938 registered voters and ward 14 has 2934 registered voters, as published in the Municipal Structures Act on 31 August 2009.

According to the Spokesperson of Makana Municipality, Thandy Matebese, the municipality can not approve or reject this or any process due to the terms of the Structures Act which allows any aggrieved person to object within 14 days. He continued to say that the purpose of a ward generally is for registered voters in that ward to elect a person of their choice to represent them in the municipal council, but he would not explain what purpose the two extra wards will serve.

The major concern with this kind of information is the fact that Rhodes University wants to become a ward on its own. How can you have a student who might not even reside in Grahamstown, be a ward councellor? These are the type of decisions made in order to take over Makana Municipality slowly, bearing in mind that Rhodes University invests a lot of money to the city and also creates jobs for people residing in Grahamstown. But, it is wrong to have a university become a ward on its own, the next thing we know, the Vice-Chancellor, Badat could be the next mayor.

Mlu Zondi takes audience by storm

The 2010 Standard Bank Young Artist award winner for Dance, Mlu Zondi gave an interesting slant to contemporary dance in Cinema during the National Arts Festival which took place last year. Showing at the Great Hall, the audience walked into an odd landscape where a journey into the subconscious mind is made.

The audience could situate themselves anywhere on the bubble plastic that had been laid out on the ground, which created a popping sound with each movement. "I want to invite my audience to participate with the characters," says Zondi. The setting is unusual with images reflected on big screens behind the dancers, each one representing the main character's life and thoughts repeatedly. "I love working with film and video, therefore this is a way to interact with audience using this medium," Zondi said.

A colourful theme of blue, yellow and orange was used, with each colour representing the main characters' thoughts. As the audience walk in, the characters stand in a square wooden panel while a long path separates them. Blue, which is played by Dumisile Mqadi represents the wife, who sings songs of sorrow throughout the performance. Yellow, played by Sanele Mzinyane represents the main character's past. Orange, played by Thulisile Khumalo represents the girlfriend who had a bright future but something went wrong somewhere, resulting in all her dreams being shattered. All of this is interpreted and made immediately accessible through the innovative dance and music.

In the middle of the hall lies a long passage where the main character, played by Mlu Zondi walks on passing these characters that represent his subconscious. He does not dance at all, instead he is tied up in green plastic cable lighting, symbolising the entrapment of the mind as he walks along his path. "Before you die your life shows in front of you and these characters represent the past," Zondi explains. "I am crazy! When I create I get into a zone and when I'm done I ask myself how did I get there?" Zondi's main concern is the audience. "I want them to sit anywhere, and what I like about this is that they can see the characters closer and even see the details of my feet, whether they are smelly or not," he said with a laugh. He says the message of his performance is that everything one does has consequences. "What you do to another person now could have an effect on them later and you will succumb to the fact that you were the cause," he said.

Winning the Young Artist award has boosted Zondi's confidence as he would have not otherwise have been able to afford funding the show. "If it was in the Fringe programme then maybe I wouldn't have received so much attention from the public," he said with a smile. This is someone to watch out for so make sure you watch more of Mlu Zondi's work in this year's National Arts Festival.

Inhuman Existence

A future of a child born into hope is ruined by individuals. Individuals who seek to have the easy yet cruel way out of life. They shatter children’s dreams into pieces by the doors of shame they open to them. This is what the existence of human trafficking has done to innocent beings in South Africa.

It costs fifty thousand rand a head to move people between certain countries. Every month, thousands of children are smuggled by greedy opportunists and syndicates across South Africa’s international and provincial borders. Once they are on the other side of the border, they are sold as domestic workers for criminal activities or for hard labour on farms. The shocking truth is many of the children are young girls forced into prostitution. Unfortunately, as yet there is no law against human trafficking in South Africa. In June 2007, a human trafficking bill was drafted but until this year, 2011, it has not yet been passed.

Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It is the selling of people for exploitation. According to the International Organisation for Migration, human trafficking is the third most profitable crime in the world, following drug trafficking and weapon smuggling. Since there is no legislation criminalising human trafficking in South Africa, there are currently no official statistics available. South Africa is regarded as a source, destination and shipment country for human trafficking. This means that people are being trafficked within the country, be it from outside the country into South Africa or from South Africa to destinations abroad.

For the past seven years, girls aged between thirteen and sixteen have been rescued from brothels. I’m sure the age has decreased in time. Some of these children have been held captive since the tender age of eleven. Many of them have been made drug dependent and were used as prostituted. It saddens me to even write about this issue facing our democratic country because I am a young woman and it infuriates me to find that things like these are happening  around me.

The problem begins at home. In a situation where a child grows into poverty and realises that the world outside is better than the world at home will easily be lured into slavery. Children are very vulnerable little human beings. Adults are very influential big and matured human beings. The difference is that the matured one will tell the little one that there are better opportunities in life and because the little one has little or no knowledge of what is right and wrong, will fall in the trap. They will believe every word the matured one is telling them and yearn for the so called “better life”.

What is the definition of a better life? According to the mandate of the African National Congress, South Africa’s ruling party, a better life is free education, water, housing, more employment and eradication of poverty, just to name a few. This is their definition of a better life for all, which was the ANC logo in 2009. But, for a child who has lived in an impoverished home which is falling apart with no food, water and no education, a better life that the child hopes for is love, care, security, support and comfort. A better life is living in a stable home with a stable family, which gives the child a sense of belonging. If a child has lived the opposite life of better, when they are promised jobs, money, food, education and houses, then obviously that’s the direction of preference. But when all of these promises are lies, isn’t the life at home more than enough? The promise becomes worse than the situation at home.

The country is seen as a land of hope where all things are possible. It is seen as a rainbow nation that does not discriminate people because of the colour of their skin or where they come from. Therefore this means that all foreigners are welcome in the country. But how can we tell who the bad guys are? Various campaigns against child trafficking have been launched since 1996, however many challenges remain. These are:

·         The AIDS epidemic.

·         The persistence of harmful cultural practices.

·          The growth of organised crime.

·          The persistent loss of women and children to sexual abuse and forced labour.

All these areas require constant attention.

Lured by promise of work and new life in the big city, children as young as 13 are being brought into cities from rural areas to work. They are fed, but rarely paid. Many run away and alone in a strange city then take to the streets to join the city’s brigade of street kids. You will see these kids begging by the traffic lights. Traffickers lure them with promise of employment, marriage or even educational opportunities abroad.

The gloomy part is that these traffickers often lure children of poor families with promises of a better way of life. Victims who could be kidnapped or forced to follow their traffickers are subjected to threats of violence to ensure obedience. In this dysfunctional system, too many children have been lost and broken, only to be buried indifferently. Over and over again it is drilled into their heads that they have no one to turn to and no place to go. They are told that their parents, uncle or gogo sold them into slavery. This is sometimes untrue, though the excuse through which a girl is attained is usually totally separate from reality. Education, employment, learning a skill, money – these are excuses wielded like a fine sheen of rain after a drought, which is the drought alluding to the lack of food, opportunity, access to education, one or both parents missing, living with Aids and a grandmother who has too many stomachs to feed.

Human trafficking infringes the rights of women and children contained in The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. “Every human being has certain fundamental rights which the government must uphold and respect”. These rights include the right to life, freedom from torture and freedom from slavery.

Hence human trafficking is a crime. It also infringes the rights contained in The Constitution, Chapter 2 of the Bill of Rights:

·         The Right to Human dignity where everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.

·         Freedom to be free from all forms of violence from either public or private sources and to security and control over their body.

·         Slavery and forced labour where no one may be subjected to slavery or forced labour.

Children’s rights are also protected by The Constitution. Every child has the right to be protected from exploitative labour practices; not to be required or permitted to perform work or provide services that are inappropriate for a person of that child’s age. When the above-mentioned rights are infringed in any form due to human trafficking then it makes the act a crime.

Human Trafficking is an inhuman existence. The duty lies with those who know the truth and are willing to change this country. South Africa needs to look back at the dream it once had to free its people and step to reality to start living that dream.

The prayer in Alan Paton’s autobiography is one that brings hope to Africans:

“God bless Africa

Guard her children

Guide her leaders

And give her peace

Amen.”

On A Positive Note: The Truth About ARV Treatment

The 21^st Century is about realizing that when one is diagnosed with HIV, it is not the end of the world. There is stigma attached to having the virus and one can live a longer and healthier life with the use of antiretroviral drugs.

Every person in this country has a responsibility to protect themselves and others from the spread of HIV, to know their status and seek appropriate care and support when diagnosed with the virus. According to Nozuko Msongelwa, A pharmacist of Provincial Hospital in Port Elizabeth, she says it is wise to treat your sexual partner as a potential HIV positive person until their status is known to you. “No matter how long your relationship has been, if you have not yet tested together as a couple then you must stay on condoms” she says. However, this statement does not necessarily mean that is you find out that you are both negative then you should stop using them. It is extremely vital to use condoms at all times.

Our society tends to be ignorant when it comes to HIV / AIDS. We think an HIV positive person will probably be on a ‘death bed’ and not be healthy, of which this is untrue. A person may contract the virus five years ago or more and still look healthy, reason being that the virus itself is slow to progress in his or her body. In other cases the person’s immune system takes longer to go down, but the sad part of this situation is that the healthy looking person could be HIV positive and possibly infect others because it is not written in their face or body that they have the virus. “Looking healthy doesn’t mean you are not HIV positive until proven by an HIV test” Msogelwa says.

Msongelwa advises everybody to make HIV testing part of your package when you enter new relationships. “Always take precautions, say no to unprotected sex and in condom use without compromise” she says. On a positive note, when diagnosed with HIV there is a guarantee to live a normal and healthy life. Antiretroviral drugs are available for all HIV positive people and they have been calculated to extend life expectancy in people on Antiretroviral Therapy by 35 years and more. Msongelwa says that ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) has improved the quality of life in individuals and has also prevented mother-to-child transmission of the virus. This has resulted in many HIV negative babies born from HIV positive couples. The 2010 guidelines have come up with safe ART convenient regimes.

Another advantage on the use of ARVs is that they prevent HIV infection when an individual is exposed to it through needles or sexual assault, for example rape. Following such exposure, ARVs prevent the risk of an individual becoming HIV positive, but the important response in this case is to seek help within 72 hours after the incident.

“If a person is tested positive, there is no stigma to this. The only stigma is when one doesn’t seek early intervention until the virus starts to set in” Msongelwa says. One must decide immediately on committing themselves to ART, knowing that the success of this intervention will require the following:

Support System:

In many cases, when a person diagnosed with HIV decides to disclose to their family, especially parents, then ARV treatment success is guaranteed. These are the people who will love you, care for you, support and encourage you.

Adherence to Treatment:

The amount of virus in the blood is not detected on screening or through a test; therefore the blood must always have enough concentration of the ARV drugs. In order to do this, one must take the ARV drug 12 or 24 hourly and the drug will stay in the system for that time depending on the time the drug is taken. This should be repeated on a 12 or 24 hour basis, if not this might lead to drug resistance and cause illness.

ART is a long term commitment and the condition of having HIV is then treated on the same principle as chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension or heart disease. One needs to adjust and adapt to a proper lifestyle.

Msongelwa suggests that HIV positive people must be knowledgeable about their condition and research about new developments, new successes and even best treatments. They should consult experts in this field and the most important thing to know is that your condition is not life threatening, but is manageable.

The message she gives to HIV positive people is that they should not give up on their career or progress in life because ARVs prolong one’s life. “Do not stop what you are doing, do not change jobs or end relationships because of your status and nothing should stop you from getting married. Be strong and encouraged: she says.

Is it every girl's dream to get married?

Being a 22 year old woman in the 21^st Century has many pressures of how to live life. I must go to school and have an education. I must go to church and thank God for giving me that education. I must respect my elders. Other pressures include dressing to impress at all times, believe me you don’t want to be seen on a bad hair day. Then I must wear those heels to go to the club on a Friday night with my friends, hoping to find that ‘perfect’ guy, or should I say man.

There seem to be many pressures for me in particular right? Wrong. In this century, when I do eventually meet that guy at the club feeling a bit intoxicated I can get away with it, but one pressure that doesn’t exist in my circle of association is to actually marry that guy. Marriage is, or should I say used to be such a sacred ceremony between two people who are in love and want to show that love by spending the rest of their lives together. This means they make a vow in church before the priest, the people attending the wedding and most importantly, before God. When I think of this, I realize that it is a huge commitment to make, especially if you’re a black man. Why? Well I think the reasons are obvious:

1.)  The majority of them cheat.

2.)  They mostly have a child or kids with different baby mammas before they marry you.

3.)  They lie at the alter before the priest, your family and God about being faithful to you.

Ok fellows don’t bite my head off, I am just expressing my view. For me and a few other women out there, the pressure of getting married has dropped immensely.  Women of this century, young and old are doing it for themselves. They are educated, own businesses and are single moms raising two children, meaning they don’t really need a man to give them a helping hand. What I am communicating is the fact that a less number of women feel that they should get married in order to be classified as ‘normal’. Long ago it was a normal thing for a woman to go to school, graduate, and work a few years, then get married to start a family. Now that sort of thing has faded with more and more women walking around with oval shaped stomachs and no ring on their finger. More women are single mothers and others have decided to quit the dating game and settle down on their own.

My question remains, is it every girl’s dream to get married. I can only answer this question for myself based on my ethics and morals. The answer is yes, reason being that I grew up in a marriage and would not want my children to be raised out of marriage. Then again based on the ethics and morals of the 21^st Century, I would not even consider getting married because of the way anti-marriage has spread amongst women today. I respect this special ceremony and believe that it is something very important, but in reality, this ceremony just might become extinct.