Africa Day 2012

In 1978 Steve Biko wrote (in I Write What I Like):



"You are either alive and proud or you are dead,

And when you are dead, you don't care anyway.

And your method of death can itself be a politicizing thing.

So you die in the riots.

For a hell of a lot of them, in fact, there's really nothing to lose -

almost literally, given the kind of situations they come from.

So if you can overcome the personal fear of death,

which is a highly irrational thing, you know,

then you're on the way"



These are prophetic words, considering the way he died 
and the impact his life has had on so many 


They echo Kris Kristofferson's song lyrics

:

When you ain't got nothin'

You got nothin' to lose




Today the team I now work with set out 

For a field trip in a deep rural corner of the province.

About half an hour out, they phoned us not to come

For they couldn't guarantee our safety due to a Strike

Unrest, protests, townships burning

Deja vu




The Rand has sunk from R7 per dollar just 2 months ago

To R8.4 per dollar today




Personally I overcame the fear of death in Angola

During a war between Communists and Racists

I hated them both

equally

And thank God that he removed them both

In due course



But the scars remain... the legacy.

In attitudes,

Bitterness

Fragmentation

Alienation




I am optimistic about Africa's future

But pessimistic about its present



So please pray for me.