Scrambled workbooks, government on the rocks

The issue is not new, yet we have leading stories on it.

Many schools around the country have been without books, desks and even chalkboards for a long period, today though we act shocked and feel betrayed on discovering textbooks dumped and burnt.  

The failing rate in public schools has been a problem when Nelson Mandela was in prison, and when he came out. We were singing the same tune even when Thabo Mbeki was president, yet we seem to unwrap it as a new dawn in this Zuma era.

Hypocrites much?

We are excited at breaking the ice with our lovers in bed by conversing about how the system is a joke, along being blinded by newspapers and media houses that make money out of getting us to see what they want us to see, forgetting that we are on the grassroots.  We are the victims.

Hence we live to tell the actual effects of not having textbooks at schools. Still, we nod every morning at the sight of the same leading stories in the news.

Opposing parties have sound stands. In fact, up until recently, they represented the masses by raising questions otherwise citizens would never be able to ask. However, they too seem to be caught up in agreeing that Angie Motshekga and her office failed.

Haven’t we had enough about knowing what went wrong?  At what stage will we tackle solutions?

No. Firing Motshekga is not an elucidation. We all know our current government does not really fire under-performing servants nor does it arrest the guilty. Then why bother?

The government has never been able to do things independently. I would like to believe that is why Mbeki emphasised on the Vuk' uzenzele concept in 2002/3. Therefore, private businesses, individuals and NGOs must take action towards preventing an issue that will ruin my younger brother’s life and the rest of young South Africans who cannot be able to act on their own.

Of course, if my brother is the only one victimised by the issue of lack of resources in schools, then let this be my call and mine alone to deal with. Otherwise, entirely efforts are needed in all nine provinces.

South Africans need to stop talking and carping about issues that will never discontinue any time soon. Not suggesting violence in any way, instead one must do something that could help the two people next-door. Hopefully, the two will help five people each. That way we are truly working together to enhance the lives of our fellow community members.

This time, the issue might have ascended through Limpopo, but the Eastern Cape has been suffering for many years. What about the other provinces? Someone probe into the matter.

I am not merely urging people to read how messy our education system is on this blog, I am working on an initiative that will help my brother escape the bosh system we have in this country. In addition, 25 more needy students will benefit from my idea.

Of course, the intention is to inspire all of them to work hard and end up helping 25 more suffering souls each, just like I would have done.

What are you doing about this problem?

Happy read!

Who will help us?

I am a South African and I have been fortunate enough to visit –though briefly to some- five of the nine provinces South Africa is divided in; Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Free State and Mpumalanga. In all these provinces, or at least some of the cities within these provinces, there seems to be a large number of homeless and extremely poor people varying from toddles up to men and women old enough to be great grand fathers.

I have seen these people sleep on and wake up from pavements, some of them posing shamelessly on busy roads begging for money and leftovers from by-passers and drivers while a few of them are wondering around towns with pluck-cards  looking and asking for jobs that could at least help them chew just for one night.

All praises to the advent of democracy in 1994, because after that fateful era came prominent people who knew how it felt to starve or to be poor. South Africans voted for them to represent the country. They reassured not just the minority race, but everyone who was and is on the breadline that –even if it’s little- but they will bring help to them.

However, right in the eyes of homeless, poor and un-employable people, those figures chose to fatten their own pockets with the money that is meant to save those who are in the ‘titanic’.

Because of this corruption, greed and inconsideration, all eyes now look up, not just to the Lord Jesus Christ, but also to the owners of private businesses and community based organisations. Yes, some of these entities do what they can to help fellow South Africans by providing scholarships to promising students emerging from poor backgrounds, by implementing skills development programmes for the illiterate and unemployable people as well as empower those who are able to help others to continue doing so.

As a result of these initiatives, many have grown and matured and consequently carried on the legacy by establishing their own helpful resources and inventions. But, with all that being said and done, there is still a very long journey South Africans need to embark on in regards to shaping this country and helping the poor.

In the plight of all this, local entities that have the ability to financially support the people who help, seem to be more into providing help for countries that have been hit by natural disasters, which in the eyes of those who are poor come across as trying to make impression to other countries as opposed to feeding locals first.

Yes, South African companies MUST help other countries when natural disasters have shaken them. But the question is, how do these companies manage to provide help to Japan and Haiti when they prove to be struggling to fund an NGO that deals with homeless people in Mpumalanga, a young woman who spends her own money to equip rural students in the Eastern Cape or an orphanage home sheltering rape and HIV/Aids victims in Soweto?

Where and how do these companies get the money and the resources to provide assistant to other countries when here at home the civil society is in dire need of a small sum?

One might actually find that, South Africa is not really equipped as far preparing for when these natural disasters hit home. Perhaps Haiti and Japan will come through for us? But when?

So, in the mean time ‘we’ stay unemployable, poor and sickly while we wait for natural disasters to hit hey? Because then someone from somewhere will be willing to help?

Happy read!

Alone

About a month ago, I got appointed as a permanent member of staff at a company I had recently joined. Happy, feeling triumphant and thriving as I was, I knew these were the news to share not only with my beloved mother, but with those whom I call my friends too.

Before I even tried calling my two best friends, a thought ticked in mind, and all of a sudden I realised that I can’t, I can’t call them and tell them this. I mean, I could, but I just needed a much better way of doing it instead of over the phone.

Both these women are of essence and have been an inspiration in my life from the first day I met them. Thanks to them I managed to finish my studies at varsity in spite of the family disputes I had. The things they did for me I will never forget. Things got to a point where I felt that if I had needed new underwear, they would have bought it for me. That is how much they took care of me.

Because of this, I fell in love with the both of them. I just knew they have become a part of me that not even my biological sisters are not part of. They have created an image –in my eyes- of the perfect woman I would go for, given I happen to be restored from the wavy ways of a French curve.

Now, I had just got appointed permanently, while they both struggle with their careers. A part of me said, no... No, no, no. The best way to tell them is face to face. That way they will see it in your face just how much you still love them-and how devoted I am to them- regardless of the challenges they are facing in life.

They would see a great deal of the artefact they helped to established. Just how much I am flourishing, all thanks to their existence.

Sadly, seeing them was impossible. So, I could not see them, and yet I could not bring myself to calling them to tell them the news. Nonetheless, they found out, hail to the power of social media.  They both were excited for me. They still are, and they are proud of me.

Having said all that, I wanted to celebrate my news. My mother is in the Eastern Cape and my best friends are miles aways from me, so my Joburg peeps had to do.

But then again, what peeps? I have, no friends in Jozi. All that I have are people whom I find joy in making happy. I like being the reason people are smiling and enjoying life. That for me is just a perfect recipe to create a very good surrounding and friendships for oneself. One that lacks reciprocity, of course.

Experiencing the company of these kinds of people has made me realise that finding and building good friendships is as difficult as spotting Mr right amongst strippers.

And so, I am thinking, isn’t there a principle in small print somewhere, stating that, when a person is nice to you, you repay by being the same? Sense of decorum perhaps?

One ‘friend’ said I am asking too much, for a boy who settled easily in a city where out comers are usually welcomed by experience that live figurative and physical scars in their lives, scars that haunt them forever, hence they never survive it.

But I cannot live without friends. I experienced having the best ones not so long ago, and so I am addicted to having them. Is that too much to ask or maybe I am doing things differently? Weirdly?

I am alone, let’s face it. Soon I will be lonely. Funny how –when I was young- I use to pray to God not to make me the type of person whose career flourishes while personally I do NOT have a life.

Happy read!