The Marikana Lament at The Parade – Cape Town 10/11/2014

Black youth can no longer be patient

by Masixole KaDlamini

Post-1994 in South Africa, the majority of black working-class youth in different townships and rural outskirts share a common, almost identical struggle of continuing unemployment. If employed, they are super-exploited as cheap labour by white capitalists in local factories and farms.

This colonial make-up and apartheid legacy has been institutionalised and sustained in numerous ways, but I will mention three aspects post-1994 which I think are important. Firstly it is through the collaboration of white monopoly capital with black political elites that maintained the apartheid socio-economic patterns and property relations that continue to marginalise and exploit black poor people.

Secondly, through deliberate dysfunctional rural-township public education system (attended only by the black working-class child). Thirdly, through legalised alcohol consumption which in most times inevitably create all types of social ills such as social fragmentation and degradation, rape, youth delinquency, crime and gang-violence in our black communities.

To show the colonial systematic intent and impact of alcohol consumption and drugs in South African rural-township communities that still continue to this day, Omali Yeshitela -our fearless revolutionary elder- noted that “what the imperialists and capitalists with white power have done, was to take all the other options and said if you want to live, this is what you have to do to live, they put the crack cocaine in our black communities that demoralise the African workers and poor people who are at the heartbeat of the revolution”.

Posts 1994 in South Africa, these carefully socially engineered structural-trappings still dehumanize black people and enchain the black working-class communities and the youth in particular in inter-generational poverty, which is modern day slavery. It was Bantu Biko, who made a critical observation of our condition in townships, when he succinctly pointed out that “Township life alone makes it a miracle for anyone to live up to adulthood”.

In Twenty years of the democratic dispensation in South Africa, these formidable rural-township realities of economic marginalisation of black youth,force them into  a position of being mere colonial subjects that must just accept brutal capital exploitation. Furthermore, there is state repression and the failing education system which definitely ensures that it is difficult for the black working-class youth “to live up to adulthood”.

Economic Freedom Fighter, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, best describes these economic conditions of the black youth in rural-townships as “a permanent state of juniorisation”. On the other hand, an eloquent poet and a writer, Pura Lavisa in his song called Oomahlalela, asserts that, “singomahlalela kule lokishi, thina asisaqeshwa noba singageleza, asina ntsebenzo siphila ngokuxhomekeka” (We in township are unemployable, even if we study we don’t get to be employed, we are forever dependent).

This persistent status quo that economically marginalises black youth must be radically dismantled and interrupted by revolutionary organised youth.  The momentum behind such a course must be that of apolitical action that is founded on a common struggle of being black and poor, even by the black youth outside party-politics. South Africa, especially for the black youth in rural-townships is still an anti-black and anti-working class space.

Hence, revolutionary art, poetry and conscious hip hop or truth music that speaks the language of the marginalised and unapologetically challenges the reproduction of political elites at the expenses of black youth is an essential potent instrument to bring about collective unity and political agency informed by black consciousness philosophical underpinnings and a precise class analysis in order to organise themselves and totally reject any form of injustice and economic subjugation perpetuated against them. 

We as the black youth in rural-township can no longer be patient and tolerate the pacifying discourse and political rhetoric from liberal academic commentators and political elites, ANC in particular and other political parties. To tell us, ‘to be patient and understand, that 20 years of democracy is not enough to redress the historical injustice perpetuated against black people’. But funny enough the same Twenty years of democracy is absolutely adequate for private capital, political elites and white privilege community to collaborate and thrive to accumulate wealth and be millionaires, living in mansions, with their children in private schools with invested funds for university. While majority of black working class youth with their rural-township education -which is a ‘set-up’ for failure for a majority- are unemployable and continue to be exploited as petrol attendants, security guards and cashiers at Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, etc.

Let it be known and be remembered that some of us as the selected few black working-class youth from the townships are not going to take an assimilationist liberal stance and be silent, because now we are in these liberal middle-class universities we won't pretend that everything is fine and perfect, it is not.  The marginalised black working-class youth in rural-townships must revolt in different forms for economic emancipation and total liberation as black people.

MasixoleKaDlamini is a Student activist and Revolutionary poet 

16. The Eagle and The Voice

(Reflections on The Way of The Outsider)

By uMonde iNxele

Again and again, I find that I must go back to the Promethean Myth; it is perfect at illustrating the condition of The Outsider.

The theft of Fire from the gods or the transcending of darkness and unconsciousness through Courage Knowledge is a universal human struggle.

AmaXhosa have a common and very ancient phrase that accompanies every Prayer; mabuded' ubumnyama kuvel' uk'khanya (Darkness retreat, Light shine forth). In the Book of Genesis, God says "Let there be light".

The Outsider wants to say Yes to Existence, and to laugh with uMdalidiphu. But when he considers his position in Society, he hears a voice that says to him "you are mad". The Voice is Prometheus' Eagle.

The Eagle that ate away at Prometheus' Liver is much like The Voice that is filling The Outsider's head with noise and Self-doubt.

In studying the conduct of Prometheus after the performance of the Heroic Act, The Outsider may find a prognosis for his condition. And truly, it is a Heroic Act today -when everyone wants to fit in- to make the Choice to Become an Outsider.

When Prometheus is confronted by The Tyrant, he does not falter. Torture does not succeed in getting him to recant. The Rebel remains steadfast in his subversion of the status quo.

Reflections

by Phumzile Kepe

In front of the mirror,

Reflections of my bitter upbringing

rising like vapour, invading my mind

covering it with a blanket of dark clouds,

which invokes inner anger.

I find my lips flooding with tears,

Meditation of those dreadful years.

I hold myself as much as I can,

For it ain’t easy being a man.

Xhosa men are taught never to cry,

So I pretend to be strong,

Although that seems wrong…

In your eyes of-course, But hold on…

Tupac once asked,

“who do you know, that stops that long

To help another carry on?”

I guess nobody but GOD.

I am a living witness of his existence,

My presence is indeed a testimony of his greatness.

People will make fun of your weakness,

Use it to send you into the valleys of darkness.

Family-members will hire you a hearse,

Even quote you a verse

While you still have full functionality of your legs

And not yet breathless.

Don’t give credence to the nonsense,

They whisper in your ears,

That you’ll never go far in life because you are an arse.

They drain the confidence in you to make you hopeless,

Fill your mind with nonsense because they fear your intelligence.

Take it from me friends,

My mother has sistrens and brethrens.

Same blood in their veins,

But they only get together for traditions

And never random visits.

Blood is thicker than water they say,

But in searching for answers

I found myself stumbling on the way.

I trust nobody but GOD

BUT I never FAIL to LOVE.