It’s time for the truth as people are distorting our history
YESTERDAY, June 16, we commemorated the 37th anniversary of the Soweto uprising. On June 16 1976 the students were rebelling against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction and Hector Peterson was shot by police. The students of 1976 claim to be the ones who brought us freedom but I am interested to know what happened to their political careers.
I am tired of hearing the same “gospel” from them. We need to finish writing this chapter about the role they played in the revolution.
The students did not only strike in 1976; there was another in 1980, a brief one; and another in 1983 that lasted three years. The leaders later skipped the country to escape the wrath of the apartheid government. Without leadership, we had to keep the fires burning and flags flying.
As students, we noted that Zimbabwe took seven years to get back to normal education; we thought it would take us 14 years. Fortunately, our demands were answered within three years – Gerrit Viljoen, the Minister of Education at the time, succumbed to our pressure.
We demanded that the minister should do away with the prefect system and replace it with democratically elected student representative councils, provide free books, rewrite our history because what was being taught was insulting to us as black people, and we did not want to pay school fees and matric examination fees.
After the leadership of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) left the country, the leadership shifted to Zwide where, on July 25 1983, Mthobeli Mancam of Phakamisa High School was the first student to die by a bullet.
That was the start of the revolution in Port Elizabeth; all the students were on the streets burning tyres, buses and government vehicles. Soon afterwards the revolution was hijacked by the Port Elizabeth Black Civic Organisation and others and, later, the United Democratic Front was at the forefront of the struggle until it was replaced, in the ’90s, by the Mass Democratic Movement when all the liberation movements were unbanned, political prisoners were freed and people in exile returned to the country.
I am also interested in hearing from comrades who were living in the bantustans who claim they led the ANC during the 80s. We need to hear their side of the story as well. Finally, I appeal to all the comrades who were part of the generation that fought the apartheid regime in the 80s to come forward with information to share with us because people are distorting our history. — Mzwandile Pepe Nkomombini, community activist, Zwide I HAVE never slept in a hospital bed nor ever wish to but that does not mean I cannot imagine how Madiba feels as emergency vehicles whisk him to hospital in oxygen tents. The thought of it happening for the fourth time in five months makes me wonder if he ever enjoys life anymore. His clan wishes him to reach 100 years, which means five more years in and out of hospital.
The former president’s close friend, Andrew Mlangeni, knows what he was suggesting when he said it is time to let him go. It was not from selfishness but from feeling Madiba’s pain. Let him get the rest he needs now. — Vuka, East London
What our city needs
WHEN I was growing up in those dusty streets of Mdantsane, I used to love going to the city to buy whatever I needed. But now, it is sad to say that I just want to be out quickly because the city is dirty and dilapidated and the old shops have gone from Oxford Street. Then there’s poor service delivery to the township. All this while the mayor, her family and friends enjoy a nice time with taxpayers’ money. The city needs someone born and bred here who can reach out to us. The lack of educational programmes, poor sports facilities, housing etc go back to the people heading these initiatives who lack the expertise to be in such positions, while professionals go to other provinces to seek greener pastures because there are no opportunities here. — Thembani Nguta, via e-mail
League in trouble
LOOKING at the beleaguered ANC Youth League, how the mighty, or should I say the noisy, have fallen! Poor Julius Malema appears to have been deserted by his comrades and is now separated from his cabbage patch. His 139ha farm outside of Polokwane has recently been sold for R2.5million, after his Gauteng mansion, but just how he is going to settle the rest of his debt of R16-million owing to the Receiver of Revenue remains to be seen.
The league is likewise in trouble, missing millions of rand and facing a bill of R15million, ostensibly for Youth Day rallies and parties which delivered only hot air. In fact, I am sure the country would like to know just what the league’s terms of reference are, apart from providing a platform to little Hitlers to indulge in their political fantasies and devour bottles of expensive whisky. — D J Michau, Gonubie VILLAGES including Enkqonkqweni near the dumpsite in Berlin are experiencing serious air pollution from fires at the site. Residents are coughing, have headaches, red sore eyes, sore throats and skin infections. Homes are full of smoke and black ash is all over. Those that do not have yard taps drink dirty water from buckets.
Has Buffalo City Metro explained to residents what has transpired? Have the department of health and the department of environmental health helped or given advice on how to cope? Who is supposed to take responsibility for such failures?
These forgotten villages will only be remembered when politicians are canvassing for votes. — Name supplied, via e-mail
I LIVE in part of Berlin called Fairfields, a few kilometres from the dumpsite. The smoke is so bad we have to keep doors and windows closed, and can’t put washing on the line. At night the smoke looks like heavy mist. I feel so sorry for people, especially children, who suffer from asthma. Is BCM going to pay for our doctor bills? — Tammie-Lee Hamber, via e-mail