How we are failing as a nation:

[Sithembewena tsembeyi]

How we are failing as a nation:

 

by Sithembewena Tsembeyi

 

As I am currently working on a project about two un-sang heroes of our liberation struggle, who come from different school of thoughts, the two differ in approach though they agitate for the same course, the biography of the two freedom fighters will reveal their ways and deeds during the struggle for a just society, it will draw the line of the two manners that were advanced by our struggles icons peaceful or “militant” violent ways for a just course.

 

However as important as is the stories of the two un-sang revo’s, I thought it is important to take a bit in the current political discourse with our country and Africa.

 

Firstly I must say, I am a bit baggar-offed by how we as South Africans turn to be so self attached, or should I say ‘ignorantly’ selfish.

Yesterday in various provinces, we saw the future of this country fading swiftly away, of course these unfortunate events happen daily though some do not capture our daily media rooms coverage, but believe me, because of our collective failure to address these ignored but important issues many of our youth die in various ways that could have been avoided or prevented, not only by our government but as a nation in its entirety.

 

Therefore as a choice to be a self-cantered nation, we have made it our prerogative to focus not only on useless and irrelevant but on discrediting and pulling down every person we deem not to like for what so ever reasons.

As we jumped off our seats on the news that Julius Malema and his spin doctor are facing disciplinary charges from the African National Congress, Little did we remember that there is a road that passes by a river, used daily by thousands future leaders of this country to and from school. Eventually on the late entry charges against the four ANCYL officials, as we smiled “ahh!”...in the mist of the Cape cold a pack of not only four but fourteen young future leaders died.

Stupidly as we drank our cheap beers and whiskeys at our weekend Sports-Bars discussing whether Malema will get off this one or not, a pair of young beautiful future stars of this country burned to death in a cold, tried to warm shack in Soweto.

As we daily debated whether Gadhafi was a dictator or not, whether NATO’s interest on Libya was genuine of not, hundreds of poor innocent families were been traumatise, victimised and torched, as they lost their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters in a senseless civil war of course with the assistance of the west, while we folded our arms in silence, only speaking in corners of our arm pits.

 

Uncounted time and Rands we spend to take this or that public figure to court for speech or whatever we deem unconstitutional, in our plight to discredit or make a point about their credibility, hundreds if not thousands of young people are transported daily by our correctional services to serve time in prisons of this country, as they committed crimes out of desperation and YES because of the lack of direction as a nation.

 

I am deeply disappointed with sleepless nights as I daily wake to the shame of the homeless desperate you people of this country sleeping in the cold breeze of our streets that we have named after those that represented, fought and died for a just society.

I weep daily with no dry as I pass through smelly dirty shacks modernly called ‘informal settlements’ with no proper basic services as enshrined in our ‘beloved’ constitution, same shack areas named after those I deeply respect for their contribution and commitment to an equal society.

 

As we worry whether we expropriate without compensation land, millions of young people live in the squanders of not only poverty, but malnutrition, hunger, diseases and venerability.

As we worry who should get this or that tender, the picks of crime enlighten the streets of our poor communities desperate young man victimised by the social system become the statistics of a failed future.

Sitting at our night ‘caucuses’ planning who should lead in this or that position, millions of young people wait in patience “that tomorrow might be a better day”.  

 

As we screech our heads on who should be the perfect judge, the continued untransformed racialised judiciary continues to prejudice against the have-nots, as their revered motor continues ‘justice delayed, justice denied’.

 

As we boost on who is a better leader to lead the African Union, SADC, the plight of hunger, humanitarian crisis continues to hit hard on the people of Somalia.

 

Where are we going as a nation, have we lost our morality as the victorious nation, have we abandoned our motive realisation for not only a democratic vote, but for a democratic society.

I weep with drowning tears as I watch the pains we face.

I am reminded of a famous figure, who once wrote:

As Nazis were getting to the communist;

I was Silent because I was not a COMMUNIST

As they locked-up the social democrats;

I was Silent because I was not SOCIAL DEMOCRAT

As they were getting the Catholics;

I was Silent because I was not CATHOLIC

As they were coming for me;

There was nobody there to fight along me and protect me.

 

I will not wait by the side to watch and wait for the dead of the unjust capitalist system, I will fight for the better of mankind, and South Africans a call is to find yourselves.

 

This is our country this is our continent, the future belongs to us, lets nationalise justice, freedom, equality, non-racialism and non-sexism, and the rest shall follow.

 

Sithembewena Tsembeyi is an independent political commentator and the our Organising Secretary of the Dr Yusuf Dadoo Workers Institute

 

Not for Print

Cell: 074 234 2521

Tell: 011 692 1630

email: tsem...@yahoo.com

 

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Hasta Siempre la comandante

Sithembewena Tsembeyi

Socialismo o Muerte...

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