It is the yellow which
signifies generosity. It is the white which signifies peace and honesty. It is
the red; hardiness, bravery, strength and bloodshed. It is the blue; vigilance,
truth, loyalty, perseverance, justice and the open blue skies. It is the green;
hope, joy and love for the land. And it is the black; determination.
My South Africa is a country
that has one race which is South African. It is a place where every single
person knows the meaning of our national anthem and where diversity is welcomed,
not chased away by the hate and cruelty of xenophobia. My South Africa is a
place where people can invite complete strangers into their homes to eat a meal
with their families.
My South Africa is a hospital
with a doctor who was the top in his class, not one who was chosen because of
his skin colour. It is a school with students who work relentlessly to achieve
good results. It is not a crumbling building in Khayelitsha whose learners sit
back and accept mediocrity. My South Africa is a country where all students
know that were you come from does not define who you are.
My South Africa is a place
where a woman can walk down a street, in the dark, safely. It is a place where
every household owns recycling bins. It is a country where the white people can
pronounce ‘Zimkhitha’ without changing it to ‘Patience’ because of their
foolish pride. My South Africa is where every single child owns at least one
schoolbook and a pair of school shoes.
My South Africa is not a
parliament’s assembly who passes a secrecy bill for the government. It is not
the xenophobic attacks fuelled from jealousy and fear of the unknown. It is not
the Afrikaans farmers who pay their workers with alcohol as it is not the
workers who spend their earnings on a couple of ‘dops’. It is not the many rape-victims
or the mangy, starving dogs that live on the side of the road. My South Africa
does not divide people in any way.
My South Africa does not have
politicians infected by corruption. It does not boast democracy when a great
many children and women’s rights are silenced by offenders who go unpunished.
It does not shackle its’ population with poverty because of the unavailability
of education. My South Africa does not have leaders who use the poor to hide
behind.
My
South Africa is a place that I would be proud to call home. It is a label I
would gladly wear. My South Africa is a rainbow nation of people who are unique
but not selfish. It has citizens who stand up for their rights and understand
their responsibilities. My South Africa holds fifty million people who eat
supper and sleep in a warm bed every night.
My
South Africa is a haven of rich culture and boundless nature. It holds rugged
beauty in its landscape and an untamed freedom that crashes on its shores and
froths in its oceans.
My
South Africa is home.
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