We really are. We are an economically and racially divided country.

[RearrangedReality]

FYI

We really are. We are an economically and racially divided country.

About 5% of our population, who are white, own roughly 95% of the country's wealth while the majority of black people live in poverty. The black population is made up of about 13 different nationalities but have enough in common to be grouped as one -- "darkies". The whites, we are learning, are quite disparate.

Look at the flags, our limp attempt at nationhood, stuck on cars. Very revealing indeed. A lot of whites have two flags on their cars, a South African flag and a European one -- their head sensibly in Africa, where they enjoy a first-world lifestyle at cut-rate third-world prices, and their hearts in the land of their ancestors: Greece, Spain, England, Portugal, France, Germany and the like.

The poor Boers dress their cars with two South African flags. Shame. This relatively small minority is all united in the stupendous privilege of their skin colour and the benefits thereof.

The darkies … don't really have cars. The few that do choose to fly one South African flag, although secretly many of us do support another team -- for two reasons. The first is about logic. It's likely we won't reach the second-round knockout stage, so we need another horse to sustain our interest in the remainder of the spectacle. (That's like someone hosting a spectacular party in your backyard and then asking you, the host, to leave.) The second reason is this: before 1994 we didn't have a country to support and many of us supported other countries, usually Brazil (simply because they were the best), and still harbour tender feelings for our previous love.

It is safe to conclude that we South Africans are not really one united nation. The Americans are American; arrogant and obscene about it. The Brits can't quite believe that the sun did finally set. The French like the finer things in life, Tanzanians are warm and friendly, Nigerians are industrious, Jamaicans are irie and the Swedes have the highest standard of living in the world yet have the highest rate of suicide.

The Germans are the Germans; the Japs are fanatically disciplined and organised. (Isn't it odd? Both Germany and Japan were destroyed after World War II yet, 50 years later, they are the world's second- and third-strongest economies respectively. Maybe we should have taken the Armageddon scenario.)

While all other nations have clear defining national characteristics, we dear South Africans remain two distinct groups, divided by race, wealth and cla**, but all united by a brutal history, fear of violence and this breathtakingly beautiful land we all call home.

Where are we going? Nowhere -- literally and metaphorically. I believe our leaders have taken a leaf out of the books of the Roman Empire. Caesar would be proud!

CONTINUES BELOW


The citizens of Rome were famed for their restlessness. They complained bitterly about service delivery: open sewage, high taxes, corruption and unequal wealth distribution. The only reason they didn't riot over electricity is because electricity hadn't been invented. The emperors and the senate devised an ingenious scheme to keep citizens from open rebellion: Games.

In 1994 the citizens of South Africa had just triumphed over a brutal and oppressive regime. The majority black population (with a tendency towards forgiveness bordering on criminal neglect) was restless and eager for meaningful change. They toyi-toyied against the government, rioting against the lack of services: open sewage, high taxes, corruption and unequal wealth distribution. What did the leaders do? Games.

One year after liberation, the Rugby World Cup was hosted in South Africa, and who should win? The Springboks. The irony! The Springboks had just returned from international banishment through the political victory, a year earlier, of the very black majority their white state had oppressed and exploited for so long.
That World Cup victory peddled the mischievous lie that centuries of racial hatred, economic exploitation and racial discrimination had been miraculously wiped away, in one fell swoop. Somehow, white people canonised Nelson Mandela and a saint was born. And us? We lost one of Africa's greatest revolutionaries.

Fast-forward to 2010. Our leaders, like the Romans, have, at monumental expense, built grand and magnificent arenas, not unlike the grand amphitheatres of ancient Rome. They, our leaders, like the emperors, have gathered gladiators from across the globe. Not just any old gladiators: They have a**embled the finest exponents of the world's most-loved sport.

Unlike in the Roman amphitheatres, no blood will be spilled (except maybe our own), no lions will tear men limb from limb. (What a pity. We have enough lions. Wouldn't it be great to see Messi and co take on a super-pride?) But the outcome will be the same: To divert the attention of the ma**es while a tiny elite ama**es huge fortunes and corruption runs wild, while poverty and non-delivery are the order of the day. All this as the ma**es are overcome by one month of delirious flag-waving and patriotism (kiss the Boer!) before returning to our neatly separate and unequal lives. One month of fake nationhood; one month of nauseating "unity".

The government's total contribution to infrastructure development and stadiums stands at R17,4-billion. Of this, R9-billion has gone towards transport and supporting infrastructure and R8,4-billion has built five stadiums and upgraded another five. (Why are African leaders obsessed with two consenting males who chose to sodomise each other, but they allow and a**ist -- in fact, they provide the Vaseline for -- imperialism to sodomise generations and generations of Africa's children? R17,4-billion for one month's entertainment. Wow!)

Wouldn't it be meaningful to use just R1billion on ourselves, on a national effort called nation-building? Wouldn't it be something to see 80 000 white South Africans go into the township and plant some trees? Or just sit and drink with their countrymen. No rugby. Just sharing, listening and understanding.

Destiny has placed South Africans in a situation never before experienced in the history of humanity. We are an experiment. Humanity looks upon us to resolve one of the most brutal and oppressive ideas of our species: Racism. Now that's something worth waving a flag for! Hell, you can even blow the vuvuzela if you so desire.

The fact that our colonisers did not leave (could not leave -- that's why they wave two flags!) has never confronted humanity. This is our uniqueness, this is our power, this is our very destiny.

But where will our new leaders come from? Leaders with a true vision for this country: A vision that unites us, black and white; a vision that we can all commit to; a vision for us? Where are the leaders who can rally this whole country behind a single articulate vision, something that will galvanise and inspire the entire nation? Nations are conceived, created, moulded and nurtured. Nations are cherished. Nations instil pride, unity and, most importantly, provide a sense of belonging. Nationhood is an ideal that is earned.

History will look back on us one day and the spectacular Soccer City, like the magnificent Colosseum in Rome, will remind them of a great, lost civilisation. They will wonder what happened to this civilisation and they will learn that it suffered the same fate as that of the Roman Empire.

Zola Maseko is a member of the ANC and an independent filmmaker, based in Johannesburg

[Lord Deacon Of Frost]

come on now its friday

[rob_one]

Christ almighty.

A pile of racial invective spewed by someone who thinks that a generalisation is as good as research.

I don't know who this Zola Maseko guy is, but frankly from his writing he seems like someone jumping and down for attention so he can...no, he's just jumping up and down for attention.

[Lord Deacon Of Frost]

[RearrangedReality]

I agree its a VERY bad piece but theres a good point on that expenditure part.

[RearrangedReality]

Hahahahah these Colin Powell's are a killer! hahaha!

[RearrangedReality]

@Deac

Jesus loves you.

[Lord Deacon Of Frost]

@Deac

Jesus loves you.

[RearrangedReality]

@Deac

Jesus loves you.

for he is your God, my God, Our God.

[Lord Deacon Of Frost]

@Deac

Jesus loves you.

for he is your God, my God, Our God.

tl tl tl tl tl tl 

[LetsogoLaPlastik]

Deac wa lehlanya....... the pics are funny but........


I highly recommend the second article......well written. But maybe you can read it on Monday cos apparently ppl switch off their cognitive functions of the brain on Friday.....good find RR

[The Angry Hand of God]

apparently ppl switch off their cognitive functions of the brain

Where else would you find cognitive functions?

[Mrs Jones]

FYI

We really are. We are an economically and racially divided country.

About 5% of our population, who are white, own roughly 95% of the country's wealth while the majority of black people live in poverty. The black population is made up of about 13 different nationalities but have enough in common to be grouped as one -- "darkies". The whites, we are learning, are quite disparate.

Look at the flags, our limp attempt at nationhood, stuck on cars. Very revealing indeed. A lot of whites have two flags on their cars, a South African flag and a European one -- their head sensibly in Africa, where they enjoy a first-world lifestyle at cut-rate third-world prices, and their hearts in the land of their ancestors: Greece, Spain, England, Portugal, France, Germany and the like.

The poor Boers dress their cars with two South African flags. Shame. This relatively small minority is all united in the stupendous privilege of their skin colour and the benefits thereof.

The darkies … don't really have cars. The few that do choose to fly one South African flag, although secretly many of us do support another team -- for two reasons. The first is about logic. It's likely we won't reach the second-round knockout stage, so we need another horse to sustain our interest in the remainder of the spectacle. (That's like someone hosting a spectacular party in your backyard and then asking you, the host, to leave.) The second reason is this: before 1994 we didn't have a country to support and many of us supported other countries, usually Brazil (simply because they were the best), and still harbour tender feelings for our previous love.

It is safe to conclude that we South Africans are not really one united nation. The Americans are American; arrogant and obscene about it. The Brits can't quite believe that the sun did finally set. The French like the finer things in life, Tanzanians are warm and friendly, Nigerians are industrious, Jamaicans are irie and the Swedes have the highest standard of living in the world yet have the highest rate of suicide.

The Germans are the Germans; the Japs are fanatically disciplined and organised. (Isn't it odd? Both Germany and Japan were destroyed after World War II yet, 50 years later, they are the world's second- and third-strongest economies respectively. Maybe we should have taken the Armageddon scenario.)

While all other nations have clear defining national characteristics, we dear South Africans remain two distinct groups, divided by race, wealth and cla**, but all united by a brutal history, fear of violence and this breathtakingly beautiful land we all call home.

Where are we going? Nowhere -- literally and metaphorically. I believe our leaders have taken a leaf out of the books of the Roman Empire. Caesar would be proud!

CONTINUES BELOW


The citizens of Rome were famed for their restlessness. They complained bitterly about service delivery: open sewage, high taxes, corruption and unequal wealth distribution. The only reason they didn't riot over electricity is because electricity hadn't been invented. The emperors and the senate devised an ingenious scheme to keep citizens from open rebellion: Games.

In 1994 the citizens of South Africa had just triumphed over a brutal and oppressive regime. The majority black population (with a tendency towards forgiveness bordering on criminal neglect) was restless and eager for meaningful change. They toyi-toyied against the government, rioting against the lack of services: open sewage, high taxes, corruption and unequal wealth distribution. What did the leaders do? Games.

One year after liberation, the Rugby World Cup was hosted in South Africa, and who should win? The Springboks. The irony! The Springboks had just returned from international banishment through the political victory, a year earlier, of the very black majority their white state had oppressed and exploited for so long.
That World Cup victory peddled the mischievous lie that centuries of racial hatred, economic exploitation and racial discrimination had been miraculously wiped away, in one fell swoop. Somehow, white people canonised Nelson Mandela and a saint was born. And us? We lost one of Africa's greatest revolutionaries.

Fast-forward to 2010. Our leaders, like the Romans, have, at monumental expense, built grand and magnificent arenas, not unlike the grand amphitheatres of ancient Rome. They, our leaders, like the emperors, have gathered gladiators from across the globe. Not just any old gladiators: They have a**embled the finest exponents of the world's most-loved sport.

Unlike in the Roman amphitheatres, no blood will be spilled (except maybe our own), no lions will tear men limb from limb. (What a pity. We have enough lions. Wouldn't it be great to see Messi and co take on a super-pride?) But the outcome will be the same: To divert the attention of the ma**es while a tiny elite ama**es huge fortunes and corruption runs wild, while poverty and non-delivery are the order of the day. All this as the ma**es are overcome by one month of delirious flag-waving and patriotism (kiss the Boer!) before returning to our neatly separate and unequal lives. One month of fake nationhood; one month of nauseating "unity".

The government's total contribution to infrastructure development and stadiums stands at R17,4-billion. Of this, R9-billion has gone towards transport and supporting infrastructure and R8,4-billion has built five stadiums and upgraded another five. (Why are African leaders obsessed with two consenting males who chose to sodomise each other, but they allow and a**ist -- in fact, they provide the Vaseline for -- imperialism to sodomise generations and generations of Africa's children? R17,4-billion for one month's entertainment. Wow!)

Wouldn't it be meaningful to use just R1billion on ourselves, on a national effort called nation-building? Wouldn't it be something to see 80 000 white South Africans go into the township and plant some trees? Or just sit and drink with their countrymen. No rugby. Just sharing, listening and understanding.

Destiny has placed South Africans in a situation never before experienced in the history of humanity. We are an experiment. Humanity looks upon us to resolve one of the most brutal and oppressive ideas of our species: Racism. Now that's something worth waving a flag for! Hell, you can even blow the vuvuzela if you so desire.

The fact that our colonisers did not leave (could not leave -- that's why they wave two flags!) has never confronted humanity. This is our uniqueness, this is our power, this is our very destiny.

But where will our new leaders come from? Leaders with a true vision for this country: A vision that unites us, black and white; a vision that we can all commit to; a vision for us? Where are the leaders who can rally this whole country behind a single articulate vision, something that will galvanise and inspire the entire nation? Nations are conceived, created, moulded and nurtured. Nations are cherished. Nations instil pride, unity and, most importantly, provide a sense of belonging. Nationhood is an ideal that is earned.

History will look back on us one day and the spectacular Soccer City, like the magnificent Colosseum in Rome, will remind them of a great, lost civilisation. They will wonder what happened to this civilisation and they will learn that it suffered the same fate as that of the Roman Empire.

Zola Maseko is a member of the ANC and an independent filmmaker, based in Johannesburg

I'm very surprised that an anc member wrote this.

[LetsogoLaPlastik]

apparently ppl switch off their cognitive functions of the brain

Where else would you find cognitive functions?

Come on dude I typed that in a hurry plus I only started speaking "english" officially 3 years ago.......alutta continua

[RearrangedReality]

apparently ppl switch off their cognitive functions of the brain

Where else would you find cognitive functions?

hahahahah!