I've been in hiding for a while - well, at least from the writing side of life. Life has been pretty eventful but I'm thankful for every moment.
The latest racial challenges in our country have really being weighing heavily on my heart. I've been stunned to a point of not being able to articulate my stance on the matter. However, folding my arms isn't going to change anything. So where goes.
As a South African, I love the rich diversity of our country. The light and dark shades of brown that make up our people. Our 11 languages, our different cultural/traditional songs, our various genres of music (kwaito, sokkie, Afro pop, house music, you name it). Our bunny chows, our spatlos, our koeksisters, our pap 'n vleis, our famous braais. Our beautiful national flag and our heart-warming anthem!
But sometimes I wonder why God made us look so different. I ponder over whether or not we'd treat each other so horribly and with so much hate if we looked alike. He knew what He was doing so I choose not to lose hope.
I still believe in a future where our children will love one another and get along and treat one another with respect - no matter the colour. A society where we will look at the heart of man and not his skin. A society where racism will NOT be tolerated - and expected! We can never not see the colour but we can choose to see beyond it.
The question is: where to from here? Are we to be content with the current state of affairs in SA? Are we to wait on the government to make it all disappear? NO. The reality is that we've seen that we cannot look to the state to bring a magic fix. The reality is WE need to rally together and change the things we aren't happy with. We need to engage those white elephants in the room - the topics we deliberately ignore because we don't want to offend. Racial politics and other forms of discrimination are everywhere - where we work, where we study, even where we fellowship.
Social media has opened a channel for us to address some of these issues via numerous hashtags. Let's move even further than the #s and start acting. And TALKING! May we be compelled to act and have strength to take this giant head-on!
Nkosi sikelel'iAfrika!
Morena boloka setšhaba sa gešo!
God bless Africa!
Here, seën ons land!
