LICENCE TO WRITE

The country has experienced challenging times - particularly over the past two weeks. The burning of tyres, singing of protest songs, tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets have reminded us of the pre-1994 era. In Grahamstown, the protests by students for more affordable higher education, protests against crime and for service delivery, and xenophobic attacks have been alarming. The following poem “Ingxaki Neengcambu Zayo” is searching for the root of the problem. Is it possible that the ‘root’ of the problem has never been ‘pulled out’? Is it even possible to ‘pull out’ the ‘root’? What is this 'root' anyway?

Ingxaki Neengcambu Zayo (The root of the problem)

Yingxaki ingxaki xa ingaxhwithwanga neengcambu Kuxhaphaka izixholoxholo abantu bagcwal’ ingcwangu Kuxhatshazwane, kuxanjuliswane de kubekh’ iimbacu Yingxaki ingxaki xa ingaxhwithwanga neengcambu

Ingaba ngenene zasitshulwa na iingcambu zengxakieyayingcikiva ulutsha ngomnyaka we-1976? Ingaba ngenene ulwimi lwaluyeyona ngxaki? ERhini kweyedwarha ngowama-2015 sibonile

Sibonile thina bebekho kuqhum’ idolo phezulu Iyhooo Solomoni! yavuth’ ingoma yaqhum’ itoyi-toyi Yaqhum’ itoyi-toyi kwaphela nezo potsoyi Yaqhum’ itoyi-toyi zakhala neembubulu Zakhal’ iimbumbulu kwapoqa nezihlangu Yatsh’ ingoma kukhwaz’ uSolomon Mahlangu

#FeesMustFall ngapha zi-“Xenophobic attacks” ERhini kweyedwarha ngowama-2015 sibonile Sibonile thina kubukulwana ngokobuhlanga Kuthwa zatyhuthulwa itotolosi noonosisi Kwatyholw’ abaphambukeli, kwaqhum’ itoy-toyi

Ingaba ngenene oku kutyhuthulwa kungunozala wele ngxaki na? Ingaba ngenene i-#FeesMustFall ngunozala wale toyi-toyi na? Ingaba indlala nentlupheko ayingonozala wezi zixholo-xholo na? Ingaba ngenene mhla imfundo yaba mahala iyawuphela na itoyitoyi? Ingaba ngenene esethu isizukulwana asina kube siphinde sikhale kusini na?

Mna bendikho, ndiyivile ingxokolo yokungxola kwamathambo Ndikuvil’ ukugungqa kwamathombo wamaqhawe akudala Ndithetha ngamaqhawe agwintwa ngomnyaka we-1976 Ndibavile besithi “thina sazenza amadini silungiselela nina”

Ndibavile besithi, “sakudela ukufa ukuze abethu abantwana basinde” Bathi, “kanti safela ntoni na xa kanti nani nisacinezelekile?” Bathi “ingaba safela ilize na xa kanti nani nisajamelana noombayimbayi” Ndithetha ngooHector Pieterson, Hastings Ndlovu, Daniso Gcwabe, Gobile Gincana, Sidney Gonxeka, Godfrey Khambule, Gregory Kwinana, Daniel Madikane, Maxwell Mahlinza, uluhlu alupheli! Ndibala ntoni na?

Yingxaki ingxaki xa ingaxhwithwanga neengcambu Tyhini! Kwenzeka ntoni? Gqi! Ziyantshula zona iingcambu kuba kaloku kwagecwa amagqabi kuphela zasal’ iingcambu Zahlal’ iingcambu emhlabeni ozilungeleyo zalind’ ilixa lokuntshula Zamane zinkcekceshelwa ngamagazi neenyembi zomnt’ omnyama

Yingxaki ingxaki xa ingaxhwithwanga neengcambu Ndithi baxhuzuli bemikhala icekwa lilele kuni xhwithani Ewe xhwithani ezo ngcambu zengcinezelo Nali ke ixesha lokuxhwith’ iingcambu lifikile, Ingaba nakulinda de kufik’ unogumbe wegazi na? Ingaba nakulinda de kufik’ eny’ inyhikityha na? Nali ke ixesha lokuxoxa ngeengxak’ ezixakileyo Nali ke ixesha lokusiphul’ iingcambu zengcinezelo Ewe zondele kodwa mazixhwithwe ukuze kube bhetele Yingxaki ingxaki xa ingaxhwithwanga neengcambu

Blade Nzimande ewe yona le ndlela inzima kwaye isende Ndiyivil’ ingoma yomzabalazo isitsho kalusizi ithuthuzela Ithuthuzela ngokuzolileyo isithi, “Thula Sizwe, ungabokhala, uJehova wakho uza kungqobela,” itsho kuwe ke nto KaMabizela, Ithi yithi gqolo ukuxoxa nesizwe sakho de kuncothuk’ iingcambuZeyantlukwano. #FessMustFall, phambili nge-transformation Yingxaki ingxaki xa ingaxhwithwanga neengcambu!

NOW LISTEN: bit.ly/GrocNgxaki