Africa Bleeds...

This post has been building in my mind for a while now - Not always concisely and sometimes rather randomly, but it has been building nevertheless.

Today as I watched the South African News I knew I had to get it out or it will fester inside of me.. and it goes like this:

Today Jacob Zuma had his charges of corruption, fraud and many many others dropped by our NPA (National Prosecuting Authority). The NPA gave an hour-long speech on why it is not a good idea to go ahead with the case against JZ. What I know, and many other South Africans know, is that the charges were dropped because the ANC (Ruling Party) put so much pressure on the NPA to drop all charges against him – or else!

You see, the ANC is convinced that it would not be a good idea for the man who is about to be elected South Africa’s new president to be embroiled in a corruption and fraud case at the same time that he is elected president of the country – DUH!! Of course it is not a good idea, but shouldn’t we rather not elect him until his name is cleared, or worst case scenario, should we not elect another candidate rather than have a felon as our president? Am I the only one who has a problem with this???

As some of you may remember from my previous blogs, not only is JZ suspected of fraud and corruption, but he is also the man who had unprotected intercourse with an HIV positive woman (not one of his 6 wives) and then told the country that: “It is okay, don’t worry, I can’t become infected as I took a hot shower after the act” What?? No wonder thousands of my countrymen are becoming infected daily if this is the kind of idiotic and reckless statement our president makes – not even George W ever said such stupid things in his time, and we all know some of the doozies he came up with whilst in office!

Last week JZ spoke to an Afrikaans gathering and stated, “The Afrikaans speaking South African is the only true white South African”. Have you lost your mind Mr (almost) President??? It was the Afrikaans who so thoroughly brought and kept Apartheid in this country and now you have the audacity to make such statements? I am an English speaking South African. I was born on this soil and I will die on this soil. My bones belong in Africa as much as anyone else’s. Africa flows through my blood as surely as it does in yours. When I am not in Africa I long for it – it is a physical ache inside of me to return to my homeland – How can you then say that I am not African?

Over and above that, how will Africa ever heal itself of all the wrongs in the past if our president continues to use such hate speech against some of his people. Should we not be uniting as Africans and as human beings to uplift all of Africa? If we stand together as people rather than blacks or whites, is it not possible that there is enough of Africa to go around? Surely poverty and disease should be our first concern, rather than who is more African?

It was the generation of my father and grandfather that voted for apartheid – The first time I ever voted was in 1994 – the birth of the democratic South Africa! It would probably shock you Mr JZ (and many people in my life) to know that I did not vote for a “white” party in that first election – I voted for your party, and now you tell me that I am not African enough for you? How dare you!

Further to that, why is it that our parties are either deemed black or white in South Africa? Should we not be choosing who we vote for based on principles, morals and values? Why is it that I am unable, as an African, to find a party I believe in? The elections are merely weeks away, and yet I am more confused than ever. Each party seems to have an agenda – and not one that I like. It seems to be a constant squabble – like lions fighting over a kill. Where is the party that believes in “The People”? Where is the party that is truly interested in uplifting South Africa and making it the country that we know it can be – for all South Africans!

Africa bleeds.. and will continue to bleed until we face the many challenges that lay ahead – not as black, white, Christian, Jew or Muslim.. but rather as her people striving for a peaceful and compassionate life for all.

Africa bleeds and we bleed with her!

Shame on us!