Mzansi went into lockdown exactly on Friday, March, 27, 2020 in a bid to curb the spread of covid-19. From today I am going to share some reflections and thoughts from my fellow writers who are monitoring the 21-days lockdown policy.





Riba Cross, Limpopo; Today marks exactly 14-days since lockdown was imposed on us. From there all the fun, noise and violence associated with my village ceased immediately.  Riba Cross is usually lit during this time of the year, especially when it’s Good Friday. People come to play and they play really big and hard until the wee hours of the morning. Two popular taverns just a street away from my house, Evergreen liquor Rest and Janette tavern usually  remain opened until midnight and booze flow out of this taverns like Tubatse river after a heavy rainfall. The unstoppable sounds of guns that fire this village, housebreaking, theft and muggings that have turned Riba Cross into a notorious and no-go zone have all disappeared like smoke.



This days all I hear and get from people around is when Ramaphosa ending this crazy lockdown. There is no more booze and cigarettes on the streets of Riba Cross village. Evergreen liquor rest is closed, it closed immediately after the lockdown came into action, Janette’s tavern on the road to Ga-Riba did try to remain open, but after few days it closed. I’m not sure if one can still buy booze backdoor from both this taverns but on the front they have all shut their doors. Bo-my friend (a name given to those Somalis, Ethiopians and Indians trading in the villages and townships) also tried to close their shops, but I see them operating this days. I don’t know why but I guess maybe someone told them that Mme.Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (minister of Local government and traditional affairs) went easy on them. As for smokers and drunkards Ntate Bheki Cele went for the jugular on them (even thou Cele act all bossy and bullish). These days I am undated with questions from friends and family wanting to know if the lockdown is going to be extended.



The answer is let’s wait and see, but it’s possible it might.



The is little visibility of Police in Riba Cross but when they finally show-up, this guys are always aggressive, bully and chase everyone around without bothering to ask where they’re going. Just yesterday (Wednesday, April, 08) I saw two police vans with police wearing what look like face masks chasing evry boy and girl on the streets- from Lehlaba corner all the way up close to the school, they caught one boy and shoved inside the back of their van. They proceeded to drive towards Ga-Riba road where they did the same thing, chasing everybody around. I think our police are taking this lockdown hard or they enjoy being a bunch of bullies in the name of enforcing regulations. As for the soldiers I’ve never seen them around the village. I guess they’re doing their thing in town.


Overall Riba Cross is further up with the lockdown and can’t wait for it to end. But most of them are seen staying in their yards and that’s what matters the most.

Lockdown: Not yet decided to unlock South Africa from 21-days lockdown.

South Africans, particularly those living in the rural villages are not happy with the current lockdown as mostly feel left-out of most government services, and they are betting on President Cyril Ramaphosa not to extend the current 21-days beyond what it is now. Thou the president has not yet made that decision to extend the lockdown but all signs show a glaring possibility of an extended lockdown happening.  

All my news feeds as well as a reliable number of sources on my radar  have informed this writer that South Africans, including those in Tubatse (Burgersfort) should brace themselves of a possibility of an extended lockdown, this because government has not yet gotten the grip of the virus and its movement patterns. My sources tell me that, government has not yet received any scientific assessment nor any tangible report that indicate whether government the government’s lockdown and its regulations are yielding any fruits. So without this evidence backed research, it will be impossible for the president to neither take nor make any decision regarding the lockdown and its effectiveness.

This happens while our district, Sekhukhune continues to report no sign of the Coronavirus (SARS-Covid-19) anywhere. In Limpopo province as a whole Sekhukhune District including Tubatse in particular, we are the only area where the is no clear confirmed case of coronavirus. Other districts have reported more than 2 confirmed cases of the virus. There are currently 1 749 confirmed infections across South Africa with Gauteng province still leading with more confirmed cases up until today.

Government continue to encourage all of us to adhere to the lockdown regulations until president obtain those scientific assessment reports and pronounce otherwise. According to News24, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, government will receive the report in few days’ time. Today marks 13^th day of the lockdown, an increase of 63 confirmed infections and 13 confirmed deaths from yesterday.

“This is a serious, serious disease, as South Africans we must also take it seriously” said Ramaphosa. The 21-days lockdown is due to end next week Thursday, 16^th, April, 2020. Until then let’s all adhere to regulations, encourage, inform, and educate each other about the virus and its effects on human life particularly. As to whether the lockdown will be extended or not let’s wait on Ramaphosa to give us a way forward. Right now Cyril Ramaphosa has not yet decided to unlock South Africa from 21-days lockdown. But you can be certainly sure that this BLOG will be there to inform you with everything as it unfolds.

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THABANG MAUPA’ KILLERS ARRESTED.

Two suspects in the murder case of former Ward 5 Councillor Thabang Maupa appeared in the Praktiseer Magistrate Court today. The suspects were apparently napped last week after a manhunt was launched by the SAPS after the Cllr Maupa was gunned down execution style while waiting in his car for his wife to close their restaurant in 2018. The suspects could not be named because they have not pleaded guilty and the case was remanded to 2^nd December for further investigations. It is rumoured that the suspects have refused a state lawyer and opted to hire a private lawyer, that also contributed to the case’s postponement as the was no legal representative for the suspects yet in court today.



The police have confirmed that two suspects have arrested in connection with the murder and are currently in custody awaiting bail hearing, while investigations are on-going.

Shoki Maupa, family spokesperson when responding to SABC said, “The family is expecting the police to make more arrests as they believe more people are involved in the murder of the councilor. The family is also expecting justice after the way Maupa was killed”



The is finally hope that the family of Thabang Maupa will finally get to know the truth about the murder surrounding the death of their loved ones. The community of Ward 5 in Riba Cross Village, outside Burgersfort is also hopeful that those involved in the death of Maupa will be named and brought to book, because the case has been long overdue.

The Ward 5 Councilor’s death shocked many, as it happened during the height of the so-called VBS expose and many people including members of the African National Congress (ANC) and its allied believe Cllr Maupa paid the price for trying to expose the VBS looting in his own rank. So the arrest of the two suspects will shed more light on this saga.

Praktiseer magistrate court today was filled to the rafters; some were barred from entering the tiny courtroom as it could not accommodate the large crowd that went to attend the hearing. Security was tied as Police presence was visible outside the courtyard. After the court hearing people hurried near the court gates hoping to catch the glimpse of the suspects as they were escorted into a police under a heavily police guard.

The suspects are expected back in court by 2^nd December with their legal representative, where the state is hoping to argue against granting the suspects bail.

AFRICA REJECT SOUTH AFRICA

Initially I wanted to dedicate my blog post to the magnificent and terrific performance displayed by my home-grown talented Youth Choir, the Ndlovu Youth Choir at the America’s Got Talent (AGT) stage. One would know how America values this show; by the way its citizens fill up every seat ensuring a sold-out show. So for our talent to appear there and reach the finals, even if they didn’t win is a feat compared to none. It’s a win on its own! The Ndlovu Youth Choir really took our country and placed it at the highest level in terms of art and talent. We saw this by the way they nailed every son and the way they dressed on stage. I know America is one country that isn’t shy to emulate. Soon you will see how they’re going to emulate the styles and infusions of every song sang by this choir. Congratulations to this amazing, talented choir of young people whom I know many of them will cherish this moment forever. I see great things happening to this choir in the future. Appearing at the America’s Got Talent was just the beginning.

But like I said, that was what I wanted this blog to be about, until I stumbled on the remarks of our Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi in this Sunday’s City Press, 22 September 2019 when he was addressing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee about the issue of migrants in South Africa, especially those undocumented ones, who are refugee seekers. This in the wake of a recent attack South Africans inflicted on foreign nationals. The Minister’s address forced me to take a detour from my initial intended purpose of this blog to address the issue, not directly so about what Minister Motsoaledi was addressing at the committee but rather what the whole country stand to gain from the recent attack of foreign nationals by our people.

Africa will reject South Africa. As a country we have been aware of how fellow African countries treat us whenever we are in their shores and it isn’t good. Now imagine what they are going to do to us now that we have killed and displaced many of their uncles and Aunts, forcing them to flee here empty-handed. It’s not going to be a pleasant one; they are going to make our stay in their home lands nasty, unpleasant, volatile and dangerous. They are going to reject every item we export to them, as they have already started doing so with businesses coming from here. We have seen how MTN and Shoprite were recently forced to shut down their businesses after they were attacked and vandalised. They are retaliating; they are inflicting every pain possible just to show us that they are also capable of doing exactly what we have done here. Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi tells Parliament’s Home Affairs Portfolio Committee about the lamentations of International Judges at the recent Conference about our judge’s judgements and how they impact on them in their respective countries. The Minister even goes further and proposes that we overhaul the entire country’s legal regime, citing an abuse to the system as if we created that system.

One is tempted to agree with him. As truthful as this may sound and be, particularly since we have seen how some of this migrants abuse the refugee status. However this is not a justification of a violent attack to any foreign national, whether they are legal or illegal in South Africa. South Africans who continue these xenophobic attacks without being slammed for it continue to cause calamity to fellow South Africans who like to travel to other African countries. I agree with Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi when she said, “This is making things harder for me”

It is making things hard for her and for some of us to make South Africa look great to foreigners because we attack and kill them when they are here. Yes, we may put the blame on the system, but it’s our very own people who abuse the system, making it difficult to identify who is documented and who is not. What the Minister should first propose is to do away with the current abused system and come up with the new system, strengthen our border controls and pay officials well so that they can be discouraged from accepting bribes.

Overhauling the entire legal regime would not assist much, the people who allow foreigners in our country illegally are the officials not those judges who passes those judgements or the parliamentarians. Minister Motsoaledi should rather slam the violent manner in which foreigners are attacked, deal with his systems and officials as soon as possible. Then, just maybe then we can come up with a solution to address the cries of those Judges at the International Judges Conference. Until then the Minister should just stay away from the legal regime.

Ralepane Mmamekwa is back town

                                                                                    Mayor: Ralepane Mmamekwa.

Naume Phala and Ralepane Mmamekwa

Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM) has a new boss. Ralepane Mmamekwa is back in town to resume the mayoral role AGAIN. Mmamekwa was first elected mayor when the Municipality was known as Greater Tubatse Local Municipality (GTM) between 2007/2008 after the ANC successfully won the local government elections. At that time Tubatse was still a relatively unknown town on the verge of a booming mining Industry. Mmamekwa led the municipality as mayor, where he first experienced the wrath of the community of Ga-Malekane after he failed to deliver basic services there. This writer was told that the situation became so volatile that the mayor ran and left his bodyguards behind.

Ralepane Mmamekwa was again retained as mayor after the sacking of Nkosi Josias Mahlake. The ANC council sacked Mahlake after accusing him of poor performance and coming to work drunk. When he (Mmamekwa) arrived, the municipality was under a great distress. Service delivery was slow, and in some other areas non-existing. Wards went months without water; others had no electricity, Roads and Sanitations. Mmamekwa arrived with great promises of turning Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality around, but the community saw the same pattern of slow service delivery, lack of water, electricity and Roads normalized.

The was no change which communities saw when Mmamekwa was mayor, except that their living conditions deteriorated and became unbearable. His promises only benefitted the select few, presumably those closest to him. One can argue that FTLM is not responsible for water services, but the municipality was allocated R 84, 9 Million for water projects in several villages, that money just evaporated because those villages are still as dry as the karoo desert. In his speech of July, 13, 2008, he promised a sanitation project worth R20, 5 Million, but today Burgersfort stinks like hell. Some parts are so dirty you wouldn’t tell whether you’re in town or some hell hole.

Mmamekwa still continue to be touted as the man up for the job of Mayor. And he is back into the driving seat AGAIN! On August,8, he was appointed Mayor of FTLM for the third time. He is replacing Naume Phala who also replaced the recently resigned Mayor Choris Phokane. Naume Phala went back to being Speaker while Ralepane Mmamekwa resumed his role immediately after he was appointed. And word on the street is that he is the only capable Cadre to turn things around at the Municipality. Let’s hope this time he will do better than last time he was here, because communities on the ground are crying for services and so far none has been coming forth.

Nelson Mandela, a life changer.

Note: This is an extract of a speech I delivered today, 18^th July 2019, at Sunrise Place of Care, Riba Cross, Burgersfort in Sekhukhune District of Limpopo province, where Mandela Day was being celebrated. I was invited as a guest of honour and Keynote speaker.

Nelson Mandela, a life changer.

Good day, Abusheni, Sanibonani, Molweni, Dumelan..!

 I rise before you to address the purpose of the day. I am not going to take much of your time so borrow me your ears.

Today marks Mandela Day- also known as the International Nelson Mandela Day.this means that we as South Africans, we are officially joined by the rest of the world to celebrate this day. Mandela Day is an occasion for all of us to take action and inspire change.

Why was Nelson Mandela Important?

I would like us to remember few things about Nelson Mandela today;

1.      He spend 27 years in prison fighting for our freedom, when he was released instead of seeking revenge, Mandela asked all of us to forgive and create peace.

2.      He was the first black president of South Africa who said, “ there can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return”

3.      And that “education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can be become a Doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of a farmworker can become the president of a great nation” let us be mindful of the fact that Nelson Mandela asked us to contribute to a better South Africa.

Mandela Day is the day we are asked to give 67 minutes of our time to do good, change someone’s life and contribute to make South Africa better- we can do this by working with the police to fight crime, create jobs for our youth, encourage our children to take education seriously, and assist the elderly with patience.

“it is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it” Nelson Mandela. And the opportunity to do so is today, right now, right here.

Make your Mandela Day meaningful today; let us all contribute to building a better South Africa, a better Riba Cross (My village), a better community, a better neighbour.

“Forgiveness liberates the souls. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon”

And “the true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children”

with this words, I want to say Mandela Day is your chance to change. To be courageous and brave to forgive and create peace around you and your community, after all, it is Nelson Mandela International Day.

Thank you, Kea Leboga!!!!!!!

Khanyi Dhlomo shuts down Ndalo Media for Good.

It pains us in the media fraternity to learn of the complete shutting down of Ndalo Media, the company that has been bringing us Destiny, Destiny Man magazines, DestinyConnect and ELLE Magazines. 

Ndalo Media is one of the few successfully black owned Media company in South Africa and it was founded by Kanyi Dhlomo who cut her teeth at True Love Magazine. 

The Comapny (ndalo Media) started experiencing financial difficulties earlier this year, this after it failed to pay for its printing debt of R13m with CTP Printers. The debt prompted CTP Printers to haul the company before the Gauteng South High Court to force it to fork out the money.
Now staff have been briefed by Kanyi Dlomo herself about the winding down of the company before month end of January 2019. But she has promised to ensure that staff' salaries are paid and everybody is prioritised regarding the monies.

It is so disappointing and frightening to learn of another failure of a black owned entity at the behest of our economy. Just when so much encouragement is placed upon young people to start their own businesses, a business owned by a successful, educated female entrepreneur falls down so hard. Even thou nobody really knows the real reason for Ndalo Media's downfall, But it is painful that such a promising company has to face this setback. Now we have an additional number of unemployed youth and adults who will be joining the queer of job searches. How sad a situation that our country has to face at such a delicate time.

We can only pray and hope that somebody out there will come at the rescue of Khanyi's Ndalo Media and save those jobs before the end of January, 29th, 2019.

THABANG MAUPA DIES HORRIBLY

Just as he was about to tuck in his car with his wife, death in a form of several bullets ripped through his body and he died instantly. This was how ANC Ward councillor Thabang Maupa, 49, met his mysterious death!
Apparently
the Councillor at the time of his death, he had just finished helping his wife to close their liquor restaurant situated at R37 Road, Riba Cross Village outside Burgersfort in Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, Sekhukhune District of Limpopo Province. When they had climbed in their car and ready to leave, an unknown man approached their car and started firing several shots at the car, killing the Maupa and injuring his wife who was with him in the car.

SAPS in Tubatse have confirmed his death and a huge reward is being offered to anyone who can assist with the arrest and conviction of the culprits.

The deceased family said, they are still reeling in shock, and are trying very hard to come to terms with the tradegy that just hit them. No one had anticipated this but it has happened, said one of the family members who wished his name not to be mentioned.

The police have confirmed that they are investigating a case of murder and appealing for anyone with information to come forward as soon as possible.

Take back our forefathers land.

Something is brewing in South Africa, as good as its variety of ingredients, it is emitting an intoxicating smell. So many sober minded people are turning into drunkards daily as they continue to inhale this toxicating smell coming out of the brew.  The issue of Land is grabbing attention from all angles and the narrative points to an unfavourable direction. Land is sought at every angle but so far the hasn’t been any pointable action from the powers that be. The election of Cyril Ramaphosa at the 54^th Conference of the ANC heralded a vigorous pursuit to the land issue and many, particularly black South Africans drank to the well as he (Ramaphosa) kept scoping out the contends.

Let me say up front, I support the idea of expropriation of land without compensation, even thou it goes against the prescripts of the constitution. However Ramaphosa should know that, those who took away the land wont give it back without a fight and definitely the will be casualties along the way to claiming that land. It will be naïve for the Government to talk expropriation of land without compensation on the same breath as without compromising the economy, food stability and marginalisation. South Africa must expect the economy to be shaken, food stability to be challenged and minorities to be marginalised as government expropriate land without compensation. But lets face it, those whites when they took our forefather’s land; they also ignored the economy, food stability and marginalisation. In fact they never cared at all, all they wanted was to grab as much land away as possible now why should we care?

When the apartheid regime in the Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga) sought the fertile land in the then Mashishing region, now known as Lydenburg, they pushed and shovel the swatis and Pedis people who had dwelled on that land for many years. The Swati and Pedi people had established themselves on those sprawling mountains of the bushveld. The formed small scale farming activities which were flourishing, their cattles and goats had ample fresh lands to grace, multiple water streams to drink from and a beautiful nature to enjoy. Those people were living among each other, as diverse as they were in peace and harmony until a white man arrived. Their economy was tossed aside, food provision destabilised and deeply marginalised by pushed and thrown into disarray. Those white men forcefully removed, uprooted from their land, chased down the bushveld escarpment my forefathers without any consideration or mercy.

The Marais, De Kocks, De suissas and their companions occupied that land without any shame. They settled on the land from the mountain top all the way down to what is known today as Motsepula. Those white farms in Motsepula are built on land stolen by force and violence from our grannies and no mercy was shown to them. Burgersfort and Steelpoort are two towns build on land stolen from my forefathers with impunity. President Cyril Ramaphosa I hear you when you say, we must expropriate land without compensation, but it should be done without endangering the economy, food stability and all, however it is going to be impossible sir. I don’t expect you to understand the humiliation and shame suffered by my forefathers, but again South Africans cannot be expected to play nice with the whites when they didn’t in the first place. They continue to occupy almost all the fertile huge land in our country while we the rightful owners and heir continue to live in squalor.

Lets move fast, expropriate land including Motsepula, Burgersfort and Steelpoort without compensation, then we can come back to worry about the economy, food stability, etc. we cannot continue to be subjects in our land, live at the mercy of our colonisers and beg from those who oppressed us. Black people who were chased violently away from their land in Mashishing, Motsepula, Burgersfort and Steelpoort expect it back. This government dare not disappoint the many South Africans, including these Swatis and Pedis, who placed their hopes and faith in its hands.

Dear Mr. President....

Yesterday I watched you on television trying to convince us how the ANC NEC has error in elbowing you out of government. I also watched as you kept on maintaining that you have done nothing wrong. Mr. President, you continued to cry and reason with every issue that you discussed with Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa (even thou you tried hard and succeefully not to mention him by name, but I knew you meant him.)  you went on and on how you talked and agreed on ways in which the two of you are going to work together, introduce him to the SADC and BRICS Leaders, because you knew this leaders thinking. When you said this, to me it sounded as if, Mr. President this leaders won’t take Ramaphosa seriously if “you” don’t introduce him properly.

You spoke and said so many things on that national television but what really caught me is when you said, you have done nothing wrong and asked the ANC NEC to furnish you with evidence of wrongdoing. This you asked after the NEC decided to recall you from government and you had refused.

Well I thought I should share with you the narrative on the ground so that you get the grip of things and don’t become ignorant anymore. The people of South Africa are further up with you, your cabinet and your leadership. They simply want you gone! They accuse you of selling their country to an Indian family called the Guptas; they believe you are so corrupt together with several of your ministers that they don’t wish to see you at the Union Buildings any more. Mr. President since you took office, your government has been mirrored in controversy after controversy. You are the first president with first times for everything that is not right.  You are the first president to laugh at every turmoil befelling this country, you are the first president to preside over a state filled with incompetent ministers, the first president to lose every legal case before a court of law, first president to throw every individual that defend and defy you under the bus. First president to face more than “700” charges, first president to survive more than four motions of No Confidence, and still show no concern at all, first president to appoint a minister for four days and then remove him. Mr. President, you’re a survivor no doubt about that but your also a tainted man. You have caused your party to lose every city in which you and them live and work.

I think it’s a little immature for you to now rock up here and claim you have done nothing wrong. Yes, it may seem so on the basis of legality but hey! President your image and your actions are good enough to ask for your resignation. Leave Mr. President while you still have a little bit of your dignity still intact. The party cannot continue to be associated with you or your carhorts. That Indian family you thought are your best friends went way beyond and crossed an uncrossed line, subsequently messing up your presidency. You gave them too much power and made them feel as if they are running government instead of you. President you shouldn’t have done that at all. I know they took your son, gave him a job when nobody wanted anything to do with him.

Just resign Mr. President and go home to Mahlambandlovu to rest from all this attacks and hatred the nation harbours over you. Trust me; nobody wants to see you continuing as president. Even the so-called Transform SA cannot transform nor save you. They don’t represent anybody significant that South Africans know. You will be fired even if you refuse because as I write an axe is wielding in parliament in the form of a Motion of No Confidence in you. This time you WON’T survive it because your defenders have been runned over. Your life as President end today, right now before 12 O, Clock and no one is going to sympathise with you. Your time is up, your record is brocken, your totally defeated this time.

I hope by the time this letter finds you Mr. President; your senses would have prevailed and hopefully done the right thing. You would have resigned and saved yourself the embarrassment of being pushed out on the streets with all those heavy bags you still have to carry heading back home to KZN. I wish you all the best as you pounder on your next move.

Burgersfort is a Disaster. This town does not ignite a Spark.

Not long ago the Mayor of Greater Tubatse Fetakgomo local Municipality unveiled a multimillion rand budget during the municipality’s Integrated Development Programme (IDP). According to Councillor Johannes Phokane this budget is intended to accelerate service delivery to the citizens of the Municipality. The IDP’s total budget stood at a whooping R 600 Million and it has been more than six months since this massive budget was presented to the masses.

But until today communities have not heard nor know anything about the whereabouts of that budget. People don’t know whether the many promises made by the mayor at the event are being implemented or what? Because the town, Burgersfort is turning into rubble of mud and rocks, it is resembling a battered zombie. Under Greater Tubatse Fetakgomo local Municipality, Burgersfort is stagnant, roads are peeling off the ground, buildings are depilating and some are flung far apart from each other. The is not even a single branding of the town, but the municipality has a huge budget available. Burgersfort is serving more than 200 000 shoppers and visitors on a daily base, this people access the town via a small and depilating road. The road R37 is a single lane coming into town and until today it is still a single lane. They are properly maintained streets, actually the is only one street inside town that serves as both the main alternative road and a street for shoppers to access shops. This street was recently poorly upgraded to more than a million Rand, but today it is back to its disastrous state.

Why unveil such a huge budget and still fail to fix a simple town? How is the municipality going to be able deliver services to vulnerable communities if it fails to fix its back yard? This and many other questions that others like me may have remain unanswered till today because our municipality is unresponsive.  I understand that its not the local government’s responsibility to fix a national road, but its the municipality’s responsibility to fix all internal streets and infrastructure in town, so neglecting this is purely reckless and ignorant. Burgersfort has more than 20 active mines, 38 wards and a high level of commodity transit daily, this often lead to traffic congestion, especially during month end. So to allow it to depilate like this, so fast is not right. Burgersfort does not ignite a spark. Instead it is broken, falling apart and development has virtually taken a back sit. Communities are losing confidence in the municipality’s ability to deliver services.

Wards are broken down, councillors are no longer serving the communities that elected them, instead they have politicised everything. If you differ with them, they label you a rebel and overlook you and your entire household when providing services. Poor ordinary citizens remain hopeless and helpless, but the mayor unveiled a budget and still we don’t know how far they are in implementing the promises of the IDP\Budget. The political will of the masses that elected the current leadership has not been fulfilled, Greater Tubatse Fetakgomo Local Municipality’s Burgersfort with its 20 mines resemble one of those isolated Villages in Zimbabwe.  I don’t know what kind of contribution these 20 mines make in our town and villages because everything resembles a “Fuck up”.

The Mayor and his ExCo. must rise above pettiness and show some political maturity, begin this by implementing the promises of the IDP openly, fix the broken town and stop denying ordinary citizens the right to enjoy the fruits of democracy. Atleast in that way we will know that we have a functioning municipality with a dedicated leadership at its helm.

LET THEM HEAD TO SCHOOL, NOT A HOME.

 

LET THEM HEAD TO SCHOOL, NOT A HOME.

The number of homes headed by school going children (Child-headed) is at an alarmingly high now in our democratic dispensation than before. We continue to experience a low level of children going to school; instead they are looking after their parent’s homes, caring for their siblings, providing shelter and food. These children are denied the chance of experiencing the joys of being just a kid, play with kids his/her age and do things that normal kids are suppose to do. You would find them (kids) stuck between the walls of an impoverished home concerned about the health and safety of his/her siblings and not school books.

There are many factors at play which contribute to this but that is no excuse to deny a child his/her basic right to be educated.

 As a society we have accepted that as normal and allowed it to flourish without doing anything. Our communities are continually aware of that parent (Mother) who has since passed away leaving small children destitute. Or a neighbour who is a single parent working far from home and has left children with a reckless aunt or a drunkard uncle who are forever absent, yet they pretend as if its normal and acceptable. Our communities are often absent from key issues affecting child-headed homes and impoverished families because they say it’s none of their business. Failing to realise that it takes a village to raise a proper child. It is no wonder we have a high crime rate, young girls turning to prostitution and a teenage pregnancy that leave us tarnished. Not mention the school dropout that has turned our country into one of the highest illiterate nations in the world.

Let’s get our country, rural or urban going back to basics, where children remain children and adults doing adult work. Its time communities unite and rally support for those children whose parents have passed away, and chastise that reckless aunt or drunkard uncle for the wrong they’re doing. Going back to basic means elders recognise that every child in the community is theirs and make their wellbeing their concern. Going back to basics means allowing children to play without worry, while elders provide safety and security.

Let them head to school, not a home because they belong in class, studying and playing with peers their own age.  

LINK YOUR CAREER TO YOUR TALENTS.

“What do you want to be when you finish school?” I’m sure that everyone is familiar with this kind of question, because each of us has been asked or asked someone this question before and i believe it is still being tossed around. The question has been doing the rounds for decades and the answers continue to be varied and vaguer. What is the right answer to give when confronted with it? Why should it continue to be answered when so many young people are clueless and unable to give positive answers?

Many young people today are bombarded with so many career opportunities that choosing the right one for each individual has become a difficult task to execute. So what could be the solution to eliminate this confusion that continues to overshadow our young people? The answer is simple, according to recently released statistics by Foundation for education, on the right career choice, it was discovered that those who succeeded and excelled in their chosen careers are people who normally had the opportunity to first tap into their talents. It doesn’t help much to expose young people to career exhibitions if those careers do not link with their individual talents. Its important that we link our education system with the talents of our children, so that when time come for them to pursue a certain career path it won’t be a taunting task.

Talent is a gift that everyone is born with and to find yourself in an environment that encourages you to showcase that talent will lead to a right career choice. For example, many successful musicians and Actors tell us that, they discovered their gifts either in church or in school plays. They were mostly encouraged by their teachers or pastors, creating environment in which they can continue to flourish through showcasing that talent. With their passion and dedication, and the support from their teachers and pastors, today they are pursuing successful careers. Many young people, particularly in rural areas continue to make flopping career choices because their environments don’t encourage talents to flourish. Our young people find themselves in careers that bore them to death and this lead to unproductiveness. We have a lot of students dropping out of University because of wrong career choices.

Our education system needs to be fashioned in such a way that it leaves space for talent to play a role. In the talents of our young people lies the best and interesting career. Young people must not be fooled by money and toy around with their career life. You can’t choose to be an engineer when you are a talented writer or a Doctor when you are a talented cooker. No ways! Young people must be channelled to careers that resonate with their individual talents. This is where Educators, Pastors, Parents and Career Coaches should play a pivotal role to ensure that young people are exposed to their talents before exposing them to career exhibitions. This will help a lot with reducing university drop outs, unproductive workplace behaviour and the rate of unemployment.

I believe that talent powered by the right education will breed a successful career. A talent is a young person’s ticket to a healthy, happier, productive and long life.

Fikile Mbalula, Minister of Vulgar Language.

By now South Africans have a clear idea what kind of a leader Mr. Fikile Mbalula is and how desperate he has stooped to try to remain relevant among the nations. Mr. Mbalula, the Minister of Police continue to spit vile insults and vulgar language before the eyes of the citizens of this country with impunity and no one among his comrades in the ANC ever called him to order. Could it be that they are also afraid that they might be victims to his insults?

His only defence is that he is trying to be seen as the right man to lead the fight against crime. No doubt our country is experiencing an unprecedented crime outrage and the rate at which these criminals are mushrooming is alarming and scary. No longer have many ordinary South Africans (Grannies, Girls and Gays) feel safe in the comfort of their own homes. Statistics shows that we are a country with a high level of crimes like Murder, rape, high jacking and kidnapping. The numbers are stacked so high against us that we are the laughing stock of many African countries. Zimbabwe brag that, it only takes one police officer armed with only a knobkerrie and sjambok to control masses of protesters, while here at home it takes an army to control just a few protesters. Such derogatory spits do not argue well for a developed country like ours.

However this does not give the Minister of Police the right to go on our national televisions, radios and newspapers to spit such vulgar language in an attempt to scare these criminals into submission. And Minister Mbalula also must be made aware that pouring outrage on twitter does not bother any criminal because many of them don’t waste their times on twitter and facebook. I think Mr. Mbalula’s problem is trying very hard to be seen as radical and a tough fighter. He does this through impromptu press conferences, while neglecting to realise that, that is not entirely effective. I salute the Minister for springing up with crime fighting programmes, but i shiver at the names he attached to this programmes, naming a programme “Operation wanya tsotsi” is just pure vulgar and unlawful. Besides “tsotsi’s”are used to this words and they don’t scare them anymore. The Minister must also be aware that by sitting there and singing words like “Ba zo uqama ba uphuze” (They will urinate and drink it), crush their balls, no matter how sweet he try to sprinkle it with variety of explanations is just plain silly. Mr. Fikile Mbalula if he really want to fight crime, he must go to the ground, listen to the Policeman’s challenge with regard to underpayments and unfavourable working conditions, then improve them, engage unemployed youth and involve them in police fighting programmes because many of those criminals are themselves. Get a proper police commissioner and leave calling on criminal names to that commissioner.

Mr. Mbalula might mean well at his job, but we have enough insulters and vulgaras we just cannot afford one, especially a Minister who’s suppose to tread well and respect the people of this country. He mustn’t denigrate himself to such low level and bring this country into disrepute with vulgar language. If he can’t withstand speaking vulgar every time he opens his mouth, maybe he should consider letting his spokesperson do that talking. I’m sure the minister has so much work to do than do press conferences where he always had to explain himself because of what comes out of his mouth when he speak. Let Mr. Mbalula go to work, not explaining himself or conducting unending press conferences, no i mean real work of a Minister of Police. 

Closing down the Season in Style

2016, has been a year of trials and triumph for me and my team. My team and i have battled so many challenges this year that we have even termed it "Year of Fall"
We have fallen and risen, fallen and risen so many times that each and everyone of us have lost count. B but one thing that kept us going was the spirit of togetherness and the fact that we always had each other's back, no matter what.

So coming to our closing in style of the season. The Head team Leader of Great Talk suggested that, we do what we call a retreat and surrender. This we will bow down on the eve of the 31st December 2016 and kiss the ground goodbye. So each of us will hold a chain prayer prior to the dawn of 2016, each will pray for at least 30 minutes and then buzz the other to take over and so it will go until the break of 31 st where we will all bow down wherever we are and kiss the ground of 2016 away. This we do to usher a new season, where we expect to break even, grow our series of Great Talk into a series of not just Articles on the Blog, but we aim to position this as a series of small to large intimate dialogues in TV  Q&As Show. But Great Talk will not be in studio like, instead we will take it to every community hall, Schools and Auditoriums. The Great Talk Team will assemble a team of Captains of Industry, Community Builders, Politicians, Youth Leaders and Leaders who's influence benefit society to an intimate Great Talk Q&As.


For this season, what we did as Great Talk was to launch the Series here on Blogspot.co.za to arose appetite and generate conversation. Now our beloved readers, I humbly request that you join me and my team on this exciting journey to discover and expose men and women who are doing their best to change lives. Stay with us Readers, i need you more than ever. I want to move and grow with you.

Great Talk is going big, so many changes will occur and i want you to be big part of this move.

2016 wasn't a great year for us at Great Talk and we hope the almighty bless and contain all of us, as we gear ourselves for the next season. Its going to be awesome, its going to be wonderful, dreams are going to come true and excitement will be ours again.


GOODBYE 2016:
HERE'S TO A NEW YEAR WILL ALL POSSIBILITIES!!!!!

Defeating HIV/AIDS

South Africa has the biggest and most high profile HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world. The virus is more prevalent in this country than anywhere in the world. And these statistics keep rising. It is estimated that the were more than 7Million adults and children die every year from it. The most vulnerable to catch or get infected are mostly young people (Youth), female pregnant and it is also noted that this trend keeps growing year in and year out. We are the only country in the world with the highest antiretroviral roll out, according to statistics obtained from the National Department of Health and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). This statistics has not shown any sign of decline ever since it was collected.

Government said, it spend close to R23Billion a year on HIV/AIDS alone. A large chunk of this capital goes to patient Antiretroviral treatment, while the remainder is dedicated to research and finding a better method for effective treatment and possibly a cure. As much as government is showing care and concern about all this, it is also clear that people, particularly young people are not showing any sign of protecting and concerned about their health.

Most youth who are promiscuous when it comes to their sexual health tend to blame others for their woes. But statistics has shown that is not the case. The prevalent of HIV/AIDS among young people high and caused by a number of factors. These include poverty, inequality and social instability, high levels of sexual transmitted infections, sexual violence, uneven access to quality medical care, etc. That’s according to Aids Foundation South Africa.

Now if we look very closely among ourselves, be it in township or rural (Village of Riba Cross, Driekop, etc.) one would spot one or more of this factors. These causes are human-made and it therefore will take a human like you to confront such, thus find a solution.

As a society it is high time that we confront the scourge of this virus eating away our young people. The time is now to deal with this illness and get rid of HIV/AIDS in our communities. But to do that effectively we don’t need certain dates in our calendars to remind us. We need real humans; we need the integrity, concern and togetherness to fight it. The solution lies in a united society that realise protecting its youth, is growing their own communities. For the fight against HIV/AIDS to be successful we need a whole sphere of society. We’ll need churches, Schools, stockvels, funeral societies, charities organizations, government and business, households, taverns and shebeens. In each of these places you’re bound to find a flock of young people, female and male. It will be simpler if massages of education, campaigns, guidance and mentorships about HIV/AIDS as well as other chronic illnesses are resumed and spread from there. We must vigorously challenge this epidemic and i believe together we can defeat HIV\AIDS.

Defeated and Deflated. Is this what Solomon Mahlangu Fought

“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.