“If they spill my
blood, maybe it will give birth to other Solomon’s”
Still remember who spoke this lethal words and why did he say this
words? Was the situation conducive enough for him to speak them..?
These words came to me when i was reminiscing about the continued
scourge of poverty and inequality engulfing our country. The spilled blood of
this astute freedom fighter who wrecked havoc to the previous apartheid regime
clearly hasn’t birthed the right calibre of Solomon’s that he, Solomon Kalushi
Mahlangu envisaged at his death.
South Africa continues to be a land of inequality and the spiralling of
high of unemployment will put Solomon Mahlangu to shame if he was still alive.
I doubt this is what he sacrificed his soul and caused his family agony for.
Solomon Mahlangu did not fight and die for this country to be where it is now.
He envisaged a prosperous country in which its citizen lived in peace, with
equal access to opportunities, land and jobs.
I am using Solomon Mahlangu because his fighting consciousness was
awaken and rose after he witnessed the 1976 Soweto uprising, where students
from Soweto townships revolted against the apartheid government after its
imposition of Afrikaans on them.
Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu was at the time, a young boy playing soccer at
an open field near his four roomed house, according to his elder brother, Lucas
Mahlangu. I doubt today Mahlangu would be excited to see the extend of violence
against men, women and children so rife and perpetuated by the very same people
he fought to liberate. Day after day we are bombarded with multiple deaths,
rape, Assaults and kidnappings of partners by their partners, parents and
trusted confidante. Our society has amassed victims and perpetrators of
multiple acts of violence and abuse, yet we do nothing about the situation. We
no longer have conscious society where a child is raised by the village. We
claim to have attained freedom and think democracy is our beacon of hope when
we witness violence on a daily base yet we remain silent and pretend it doesn’t
exist.
Youngsters do not wish to emulate the likes of Solomon Mahlangu because
society has relegated these freedom icons to mere celebratory dates on our
calendas. They are at loggerheads with their schools, parents and governments
because violence, and inequality continue to harbor over, this youngsters are
exposed to high level of violence and intolerance which makes them believe its
the way of life. As the government commemorates the 16 days of Activism for No
violence against men, women and children, let us be reminded of the sacrifices
that Solomon Mahlangu, Mondy Motloung and others made to all of us. It wasn’t
sacrifices to see partners, parents, families and governments to continue
abusing and violating others.
Let young people remember that, heros such as Mahlangu did not wish for
things to be like this now, but be reminded as he (Mahlangu) puts it blindly
before he was hanged “aluta continua”
The is no messiah who is still to come, the struggle to liberate the
country has not ended and as we commemorate days of such nobleness as 16 days
of Activism let us remember that you are the touch bearer, a light that shines
in the dark and a compass that provides direction. Your fight is not yours
alone and what you’re fighting for now is to benefit generations to come after
you. Instigating violence and abuse is not a good fight if you’re the
perpetrator or victim, but you can contribute to the fight to end it, just as
Solomon Mahlangu fought to end apartheid.
Glorifying gangsters, violence, drugs and partying should not be your
modus operandi; yours should be to crush it down from its head going down,
breaking it into pieces and bury it beneath the soil.
“My blood will nourish the trees that will bear the fruits of freedom.
Tell my people i love them and they must continue the fight. A luta continua”
said Solomon Mahlangu.
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