As a South African, I find myself living in this cocoon where I keep thinking that all the changes and revolutions our brothers up north are experiencing won't affect my fragile utopia. This is a foolish thought admittedly, but even more foolish would be imagining that my utopia is anything but fragile.
One of the bloggers whom I follow, an Egyptian who's writings are nothing short of inspiring, has presented such insight into the revolution that it made me wonder why South Africans have not been more radical in our demands for change. Dalia Ziada is my blogging hero, and some day when that revolution arrives, and it will arrive, I shall read back on her words and be thankful that I heeded them.
The Egyptians may not have given us much that affects our lives on a daily basis, unless you smoke hubbly-bubbly or eat sheesh-kebabs as often as I do.
Sure there were the pyramids, but let's be honest those haven't really improved our quality of life.
Then there were the ancient scrolls and the mummies, but again neither are historical marvels that make me sleep better at night nor lower my cholesterol. If anything, those mummies give me erratic sleep patterns.
Along comes the Egyptian Revolution, and suddenly I'm sitting upright and taking notice.
Boy those guys know how to throw one heck of a revolution, right?!
The crowds in Tahrir Square numbered millions, and they stayed with steadfast determination for days!
Maybe they were on rotation, and came and went in shifts. I don't know. I mean I highly doubt Tahrir Square was designed with a revolution in mind. I'm thinking toilet and shower facilities, sleeping quarters, the food and beverage logistics. I just can't see it. So yeah maybe they had some sort of rotation system going on, but even that was impressive.
Add to that the fact that the planning was done after the Internet and mobile services were shut down!
So I couldn't help but wonder how such a revolution would go down in South Africa. Firstly I assume it would have to start and have it's base in Sandton. This is after all the financial capital of the country, and the essence of the revolution has got to do with change and how the bankers and politicians haven't been giving us any. Well that's not entirely true I suppose. They've been keeping the notes, and we've been getting the change.
So when this revolution eventually begins in Sandton, I assume again it will start at Nelson Mandela Square. The irony won't be lost on anybody. The fact that the country starts a revolution against corruption and corporate greed right underneath the bronze sculpture of the man who brought us freedom to begin with. A revolution the country and it's people will be fighting, against the very party once started by the great Nelson Mandela himself.
It sure as heck won't start in Cape Town, where Aunty Helen has a firm grip on things. She'll offer prizes to people who don't take part in the revolution, much like she did to those taking voluntary AID's tests.
Know Your Status. Win R50 000.
Don't Join The Revolution. Win A Grocery Hamper.
ANC supporters will laugh at this, until they realize that the revolution is actually against their leaders.
DA supporters will be fuming, because we all know they believe Aunty Helen is the Messiah, and as such she can do no wrong.
Me personally, I don't care very much for either side. If the truth be told, there isn't a political party I trust in this country. They have more hidden agendas than a pack of lawyers at a Human Rights convention.
I'll support the revolution with my heart and soul. What happens after that is anyones guess. I would hope that somewhere in this beautiful country of 50 million people (if those Census people are to be believed) we can find another handful of political hero's and champions of social causes. People like Chris Hani and Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela and Helen Suzman and Oliver Tambo.
Surely we can find these young lions ready to take this country onward and upward. Surely their voices are waiting to be heard. Maybe we need a revolution to stifle the corrupt and finally listen out for those voices.
The alternative is a rather scary option.
Boy those guys know how to throw one heck of a revolution, right?!
The crowds in Tahrir Square numbered millions, and they stayed with steadfast determination for days!
Maybe they were on rotation, and came and went in shifts. I don't know. I mean I highly doubt Tahrir Square was designed with a revolution in mind. I'm thinking toilet and shower facilities, sleeping quarters, the food and beverage logistics. I just can't see it. So yeah maybe they had some sort of rotation system going on, but even that was impressive.
Add to that the fact that the planning was done after the Internet and mobile services were shut down!
So I couldn't help but wonder how such a revolution would go down in South Africa. Firstly I assume it would have to start and have it's base in Sandton. This is after all the financial capital of the country, and the essence of the revolution has got to do with change and how the bankers and politicians haven't been giving us any. Well that's not entirely true I suppose. They've been keeping the notes, and we've been getting the change.
So when this revolution eventually begins in Sandton, I assume again it will start at Nelson Mandela Square. The irony won't be lost on anybody. The fact that the country starts a revolution against corruption and corporate greed right underneath the bronze sculpture of the man who brought us freedom to begin with. A revolution the country and it's people will be fighting, against the very party once started by the great Nelson Mandela himself.
It sure as heck won't start in Cape Town, where Aunty Helen has a firm grip on things. She'll offer prizes to people who don't take part in the revolution, much like she did to those taking voluntary AID's tests.
Know Your Status. Win R50 000.
Don't Join The Revolution. Win A Grocery Hamper.
ANC supporters will laugh at this, until they realize that the revolution is actually against their leaders.
DA supporters will be fuming, because we all know they believe Aunty Helen is the Messiah, and as such she can do no wrong.
Me personally, I don't care very much for either side. If the truth be told, there isn't a political party I trust in this country. They have more hidden agendas than a pack of lawyers at a Human Rights convention.
I'll support the revolution with my heart and soul. What happens after that is anyones guess. I would hope that somewhere in this beautiful country of 50 million people (if those Census people are to be believed) we can find another handful of political hero's and champions of social causes. People like Chris Hani and Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela and Helen Suzman and Oliver Tambo.
Surely we can find these young lions ready to take this country onward and upward. Surely their voices are waiting to be heard. Maybe we need a revolution to stifle the corrupt and finally listen out for those voices.
The alternative is a rather scary option.
I feel very much the same about the political parties in my country. :) My advice to anyone offered the grocery hamper prize... take the food and run like hell!
ReplyDeletelol @ Angie.
ReplyDeleteAunty Helen is the leader of the official opposition, the DA. She really did offer a R50 000 prize to people who took an AID's test! So the idea of the hamper could very well be in the makings.
Watch this space...
I read this entire thing but only one thing sticks out... who's the hot half-covered guy in the first pic? ;)
ReplyDeletehahaha... Only you Azra ;)
ReplyDelete