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Sunday, April 18, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Pissing against the Wind
Politics in South Africa! Many think that South Africa is heading for political turmoil, economic stagnation coupled with the explosion of her racial melting pot when it reaches boiling point. There is an intrinsic aspect of South African politics that is worth dwelling into, and that is post liberation party politics.
Post liberation party politics has been studied through the assesment of post colonial African independence. Post liberation party politics is studied within post colonial dimensions and the type of states that have emerged from thereof. In South Africa however, the context is entirely different, there was no full scale intrastate conflict or civil war that brought about the libeartion of black people. There were skirmishes, protests, terrorists attacks, sabotage, philosophies such as Black Consciousness, Pan Africanism and international sanctions that contributed to the end of apartheid and the emergence of post liberation party politics.
There is a pattern in African multi party democracies, and that pattern is the dominant party system that has come to characterise the African democratic experience. All one needs to do is look at the state of opposition politics in Southern Africa with examples ranging from Mozambiques FRELIMO, Angola's MPLA, Namibia's SWAPO and South Africas Very own ANC. Now the question that is hot on the lips of every political comentator in the country is, "is the ANC leading South Africa into oblivion"? Not in those words, but clearly the proposed amalgamation of opposition parties in the country signifies the proactive measures that opposition parties are taking in trying to combat the ANC Titan. The question that needs to be raised in South African political discourse is: "To what extent will the governing political party cling to political power?"
Lets look at the political terminology that has charactersied post Thabo Mbeki ANC political discourse over the past couple of years. We have had terms sucha as militancy, cockroaches, womaniser, rapist, tenderpreneurs, hyena's, fat cats, elite, corruption, over indulgent spendthrifts and so on and so forth. Putting those into perspective, where is this country headed? Your guess is as good as mine but untill we move from liberation politics and entitlemnt to nation building, job creation and infrastructure developmentm, the better. Untill then all of our efforts to ensure the effective development of of our country will be like pissing against the wind.
Post liberation party politics has been studied through the assesment of post colonial African independence. Post liberation party politics is studied within post colonial dimensions and the type of states that have emerged from thereof. In South Africa however, the context is entirely different, there was no full scale intrastate conflict or civil war that brought about the libeartion of black people. There were skirmishes, protests, terrorists attacks, sabotage, philosophies such as Black Consciousness, Pan Africanism and international sanctions that contributed to the end of apartheid and the emergence of post liberation party politics.
There is a pattern in African multi party democracies, and that pattern is the dominant party system that has come to characterise the African democratic experience. All one needs to do is look at the state of opposition politics in Southern Africa with examples ranging from Mozambiques FRELIMO, Angola's MPLA, Namibia's SWAPO and South Africas Very own ANC. Now the question that is hot on the lips of every political comentator in the country is, "is the ANC leading South Africa into oblivion"? Not in those words, but clearly the proposed amalgamation of opposition parties in the country signifies the proactive measures that opposition parties are taking in trying to combat the ANC Titan. The question that needs to be raised in South African political discourse is: "To what extent will the governing political party cling to political power?"
Lets look at the political terminology that has charactersied post Thabo Mbeki ANC political discourse over the past couple of years. We have had terms sucha as militancy, cockroaches, womaniser, rapist, tenderpreneurs, hyena's, fat cats, elite, corruption, over indulgent spendthrifts and so on and so forth. Putting those into perspective, where is this country headed? Your guess is as good as mine but untill we move from liberation politics and entitlemnt to nation building, job creation and infrastructure developmentm, the better. Untill then all of our efforts to ensure the effective development of of our country will be like pissing against the wind.
The Discoverers – Bantam Books, July 1994
Here is a book that takes you to the pre colonial era of sea voyagers and adventures that stumbled upon a Africa. The Discoverers reader is taken on a journey that explores pre-colonial trade relations with European traders and African kings in the 15th century. A time when it was every explorers dream to reach the Southern most tip of Africa.
Paul King is well known for publishing pre-colonial voyager literature, with books such as the Dreamers and the Voyagers. The Discoverers was published in 1994 and gives an enlightening historical account of the life of voyagers that sailed across the seven seas hoping to find new worlds accompanied by the promise of riches and adventure. The genre has had an everlasting phenomenon on African culture with other Authors such as Joseph Conrad reaching critical acclaim for their work in books such as the Heart of Darkness and Victory. The literature has directed the African continents historical path, and an interesting fact about the book is that it highlights the how legitimate traders fell into the trap of acquiring quick riches through the slave trade.
The book is centered around the crusades, in 1453 when Constantinople fell to the forces of Mohammed II. The defeated Christians characters embark on individual voyages. Some motivated by honor, greed, revenge and glory. The literature is informative yet provocative in its description of pre-colonial African culture. With some of the characters admiring the exotic and rich culture of African people, while other characters see Africans nothing but godless savages and heathens who have created nothing of any historical value.
The literature is undoubtedly influenced by the likes of Conrad, however there are certain elements in the book that are very informative as the reader is taken on a journey of discovery through the eyes of the explorer.
Ayanda Mdluli
Independent Newspapers, 31 March 2010
Paul King is well known for publishing pre-colonial voyager literature, with books such as the Dreamers and the Voyagers. The Discoverers was published in 1994 and gives an enlightening historical account of the life of voyagers that sailed across the seven seas hoping to find new worlds accompanied by the promise of riches and adventure. The genre has had an everlasting phenomenon on African culture with other Authors such as Joseph Conrad reaching critical acclaim for their work in books such as the Heart of Darkness and Victory. The literature has directed the African continents historical path, and an interesting fact about the book is that it highlights the how legitimate traders fell into the trap of acquiring quick riches through the slave trade.
The book is centered around the crusades, in 1453 when Constantinople fell to the forces of Mohammed II. The defeated Christians characters embark on individual voyages. Some motivated by honor, greed, revenge and glory. The literature is informative yet provocative in its description of pre-colonial African culture. With some of the characters admiring the exotic and rich culture of African people, while other characters see Africans nothing but godless savages and heathens who have created nothing of any historical value.
The literature is undoubtedly influenced by the likes of Conrad, however there are certain elements in the book that are very informative as the reader is taken on a journey of discovery through the eyes of the explorer.
Ayanda Mdluli
Independent Newspapers, 31 March 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Soul-Jah Who Never Dies
They told him he never cried when he was born like the other babies of this world. His struggle has always been defined by conflict, which is why he refers to himself as a Soul-Jah. Not your professional soldier like those fighting in the Iraqi war, or mercenaries from Executive Outcomes, but the Soul of Jah, a proud member of the army of Christ. He is the soldier of society fighting a war against racism, oppression, poverty and HIV/AIDS. Through Gods guidance, he has outlived many of his peers and has overcome those who have tried to change his perspective and eradicate his belief in an after life and the inevitable Day of Judgment and Armageddon.
It’s a lovely Easter Sunday morning at the beach in the beautiful suburb of Sea Point in Cape Town. He sits on a rock and stares into the horizon. His dreadlocks are blowing east in the direction of the sunrise, chanting biblical songs while beating his drum with his palms and fingers. He is the raw breed, the years of pain and experience on face gave that away. The wrinkles on his face tell a different story, they said he is the no nonsense kind, very opinionated and would never renounce what he truly believes in. The wrinkles also said that he was selfish yet giving, loving but hateful, forgiving yet resentful. He is made up of different hypocritical characters that define your average poverty stricken Joe Public.
He agrees that who he is, reflects on the way he treats other people. He tries to be as honest as he can in his interaction with society. He notes that it is difficult, especially when he goes to bed on an empty stomach. Righteousness is his philosophy, with an empty stomach and all; defiant till the end and unfazed by the glitz and glamour the demons of the world throw at his feet. As he explains his position in a cut throat world, full of people who renounce Christ socially and academically, the wrinkles on his face change from that of pain and experience, to that of an undiscovered wisdom that makes South Africa such a beautiful country.
It’s a lovely Easter Sunday morning at the beach in the beautiful suburb of Sea Point in Cape Town. He sits on a rock and stares into the horizon. His dreadlocks are blowing east in the direction of the sunrise, chanting biblical songs while beating his drum with his palms and fingers. He is the raw breed, the years of pain and experience on face gave that away. The wrinkles on his face tell a different story, they said he is the no nonsense kind, very opinionated and would never renounce what he truly believes in. The wrinkles also said that he was selfish yet giving, loving but hateful, forgiving yet resentful. He is made up of different hypocritical characters that define your average poverty stricken Joe Public.
He agrees that who he is, reflects on the way he treats other people. He tries to be as honest as he can in his interaction with society. He notes that it is difficult, especially when he goes to bed on an empty stomach. Righteousness is his philosophy, with an empty stomach and all; defiant till the end and unfazed by the glitz and glamour the demons of the world throw at his feet. As he explains his position in a cut throat world, full of people who renounce Christ socially and academically, the wrinkles on his face change from that of pain and experience, to that of an undiscovered wisdom that makes South Africa such a beautiful country.
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