time is now
to unleash dreams
never realized
for reasons
not clear
the year begins
battles lie ahead
the pen is the
sword
to conquer the self
and the world to
savour
the smell of
victory is nigh
thanks to the pen
Thursday 27 December 2007
Wednesday 19 December 2007
Songs of revolution
By Tsuai
Once used to fight the oppressors, they now mock former liberators, the new ruling class
During the dark days of oppression and apartheid blacks gathered for marches and demonstrations to demand their rights and freedoms. Long before the freedom fighters took to arms in 1961 under the auspices of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) songs of revolution were ammunition and glue that kept the freedom loving masses together.
Through songs like Nkosi Sikelel’ Africa (God bless Africa), senzenina (What have we done?), wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokotho (You strike a woman you strike a rock) the people articulated their frustrations, their demands and sometimes mocked their oppressors.
One will also remember the old MK song, Awuleth umshiniwami (bring my machine gun), now turned bubblegum pop song by the ANC’s Jacob Zuma.
The songs were about self-sacrifice, heroism, civil disobedience, anti-racism and anti-sexism. At the 1955 Congress of the People when they drafted the Freedom Charter, when women marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 and during the 1976 Soweto uprisings revolutionary songs were never left behind.
There are various freedom songs particular to the civic movement, workers, students and guerilla fighters and women whereby each group articulates its needs and wants.
The unbanning of the liberation movement and the attainment of freedom in 1994 did not see the disappearance of struggle songs. The leaders of the revolution contend that political freedom has been achieved and that economic freedom still remains to be achieved.
Therefore the people have not stopped singing. They still sing the old songs but there are also recent ones. The sad fact is that whereas in the old days they sang obscenely about the oppressor, today they mock their liberators who are now the ruling class.
During the massive civil service strike early this year the marchers insulted Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi by singing derogatory songs aimed at her. The ANC President Thabo Mbeki has also not escaped the wrath of Cosatu and SACP members who sang un-revolutionary songs about him.
Will the delegates to the ANC conference in Polokwane also sing songs against the leaders that they don’t support? It remains to be seen.
http://www.reporter.co.za/article.aspx?ID=RP21A665273
This is one of my articles that was published on Reporter.co.za. This is a news website that is "written by the people for the people."
Once used to fight the oppressors, they now mock former liberators, the new ruling class
During the dark days of oppression and apartheid blacks gathered for marches and demonstrations to demand their rights and freedoms. Long before the freedom fighters took to arms in 1961 under the auspices of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) songs of revolution were ammunition and glue that kept the freedom loving masses together.
Through songs like Nkosi Sikelel’ Africa (God bless Africa), senzenina (What have we done?), wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokotho (You strike a woman you strike a rock) the people articulated their frustrations, their demands and sometimes mocked their oppressors.
One will also remember the old MK song, Awuleth umshiniwami (bring my machine gun), now turned bubblegum pop song by the ANC’s Jacob Zuma.
The songs were about self-sacrifice, heroism, civil disobedience, anti-racism and anti-sexism. At the 1955 Congress of the People when they drafted the Freedom Charter, when women marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 and during the 1976 Soweto uprisings revolutionary songs were never left behind.
There are various freedom songs particular to the civic movement, workers, students and guerilla fighters and women whereby each group articulates its needs and wants.
The unbanning of the liberation movement and the attainment of freedom in 1994 did not see the disappearance of struggle songs. The leaders of the revolution contend that political freedom has been achieved and that economic freedom still remains to be achieved.
Therefore the people have not stopped singing. They still sing the old songs but there are also recent ones. The sad fact is that whereas in the old days they sang obscenely about the oppressor, today they mock their liberators who are now the ruling class.
During the massive civil service strike early this year the marchers insulted Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi by singing derogatory songs aimed at her. The ANC President Thabo Mbeki has also not escaped the wrath of Cosatu and SACP members who sang un-revolutionary songs about him.
Will the delegates to the ANC conference in Polokwane also sing songs against the leaders that they don’t support? It remains to be seen.
http://www.reporter.co.za/article.aspx?ID=RP21A665273
This is one of my articles that was published on Reporter.co.za. This is a news website that is "written by the people for the people."
Friday 14 December 2007
To write with honour
Although I'm not a journalist I put these Guiding Principles for the Journalist on my blog to remind myself of what I must strive for as a writer.
I write for Reporter.co.za as a citizen reporter, that of course is not professional journalism per se, but I'll strive to maintain a level of professionalism in my reporting and writing.
Reporter.co.za affords me an opportunity to publish my work and therefore share it with others. The website has its own code of conduct and I shall uphold it together with the guiding principles for journalists.
One reason why I have decided to put political activism and affiliations behind me is to enable me to freely say that "I write what I like" (this is a title of book by Steve Biko). It is important to 'remain free of associations and activities that may compromise your intergrity or damage your credibility.'
I cannot, for example, write critically and point out the weaknesses of the government's Growth Employment and Redistribution (Gear) programme or Asgisa or any of the government or movement's policies without getting myself into the firing line by the movement itself. I will of course be hauled before a disciplinary hearing of the movement and suspended or expelled.
Another thing that I find difficult to agree to is that I must defend a policy position even if I find it morally repugnant or against my own principles. A case in point is abortion and gay marriages.
To ensure my credibility, I will not renew any membership I held with any political association and will resign from any political association that I'm affiliated to currently.
I hope the effort to quit active politics will be worthwile.
Guiding Principles for the Journalist
1. Seek Truth and Report it as Fully as Possible
- Inform yourself continuously so you in turn can inform, engage, and educate the public in a clear and compelling way on significant issues.
- Be honest, fair, and courageous in gathering, reporting, and interpreting accurate information.
- Give voice to the voiceless.
- Hold the powerful accountable.
2. Act Independently
- Guard vigorously the essential stewardship role a free press plays in an open society.
- Seek out and disseminate competing perspectives without being unduly influenced by those who would use their power or position counter to the public interest.
- Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise your integrity or damage your credibility.
- Recognize that good ethical decisions require individual responsibility enriched by collaborative efforts.
3. Minimize Harm
- Be compassionate for those affected by your actions.
- Treat sources, subjects, and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect, not merely as means to your journalistic ends.
- Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort, but balance those negatives by choosing alternatives that maximize your goal of truth telling.
Wednesday 12 December 2007
The things that I do
I posted a discussion to the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA Discussion) last week hoping to stir debate about the leadership style of the SA Communist Party, particularly comrade Gwede Manatashe.
I had thought that the National Chairperson will foster unity and move away from the politics of retribution and witch hunting for comrades who are perceived to be pro- Mbeki.
Maybe the way I presented my argument was flawed but I did not expect such harsh comments from people who claim to be communists. In fact some of them, including the administrator, Cde Dominic Tweedie, nicknamed Vice-Chancellor, tackled me before they tackled the issues I raised.
Thanks I never renewed my Communist Party and Young Communist League membership when it expired. I doubt if I'll do so in the near future. Although I remain a communist, I won't affiliate to the Party and its youth league anymore.
I'll only join the struggle for communism the day the masses rise against the capitalists and demand that power be handed over to the workers and the poor.
As a writer I must be independent and avoid associations and activities that may compromise my independence and integrity. If I 'm serious about my writing it is time to put my political affiliations behind me and my craft before me.
I shall forthwith go to the Internet Writing Workshop where I shall read, critique and post my work for critiquing. This is a better home for me than the discussion list of the young 'commies.' Here they critique my work and not me as a person.
I have included my submission only but you can read the responses thereof at the website of the YCLSA discussion list. I have provided the link below:
http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum/browse_thread/thread/92172d0a0c729e64
thando tshangela [mokwadi@gmail.com]
Thu 12/6/2007 7:22 PM
[YCLSA Discussion] Re: Stalinism is killing the SACP
Cdes,
The leadership style of our new Chairperson, Gwedwe Mantashe, is disappointing. He is not doing anything to foster unity in the Party, on the contrary, he's deepening the divisions and encouraging Stalinist tendencies.
The disbandment of the Limpopo PEC refers. I wonder who is next. I think the cde Zico and his Gauteng PEC must watch out.
Last year just before the YCLSA National Congress the National Committee disbanded the GP YCL for clandestine reasons. Comrades must realise that when they disband organizational structures willy-nilly they are killing the revolutionary spirit and moral of cadres who have worked hard to ensure that such structures are functional.
I begin to doubt cde Gwedwe Mantashe's bona fides. Is he really a communist? He seems to be obsessed with the ANC more than the SACP. When he appeared in the news last night he was wearing an ANC golf T-shirt, Further, the topic of the seminar schedules for the 6 th at Cosatu is 'Future Challenges for the ANC.'
In conclusion, I want to respectfully challenge cde Gwedwe Mantashe to tell me about the 'future challenges and opportunities for the SACP,' and only then I will have confidence in him as a Party Chairperson.
cde thando
--
Thando Tshangelahttp://tsuai.blogspot.com/
Vita sine libris mors est
I had thought that the National Chairperson will foster unity and move away from the politics of retribution and witch hunting for comrades who are perceived to be pro- Mbeki.
Maybe the way I presented my argument was flawed but I did not expect such harsh comments from people who claim to be communists. In fact some of them, including the administrator, Cde Dominic Tweedie, nicknamed Vice-Chancellor, tackled me before they tackled the issues I raised.
Thanks I never renewed my Communist Party and Young Communist League membership when it expired. I doubt if I'll do so in the near future. Although I remain a communist, I won't affiliate to the Party and its youth league anymore.
I'll only join the struggle for communism the day the masses rise against the capitalists and demand that power be handed over to the workers and the poor.
As a writer I must be independent and avoid associations and activities that may compromise my independence and integrity. If I 'm serious about my writing it is time to put my political affiliations behind me and my craft before me.
I shall forthwith go to the Internet Writing Workshop where I shall read, critique and post my work for critiquing. This is a better home for me than the discussion list of the young 'commies.' Here they critique my work and not me as a person.
I have included my submission only but you can read the responses thereof at the website of the YCLSA discussion list. I have provided the link below:
http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum/browse_thread/thread/92172d0a0c729e64
thando tshangela [mokwadi@gmail.com]
Thu 12/6/2007 7:22 PM
[YCLSA Discussion] Re: Stalinism is killing the SACP
Cdes,
The leadership style of our new Chairperson, Gwedwe Mantashe, is disappointing. He is not doing anything to foster unity in the Party, on the contrary, he's deepening the divisions and encouraging Stalinist tendencies.
The disbandment of the Limpopo PEC refers. I wonder who is next. I think the cde Zico and his Gauteng PEC must watch out.
Last year just before the YCLSA National Congress the National Committee disbanded the GP YCL for clandestine reasons. Comrades must realise that when they disband organizational structures willy-nilly they are killing the revolutionary spirit and moral of cadres who have worked hard to ensure that such structures are functional.
I begin to doubt cde Gwedwe Mantashe's bona fides. Is he really a communist? He seems to be obsessed with the ANC more than the SACP. When he appeared in the news last night he was wearing an ANC golf T-shirt, Further, the topic of the seminar schedules for the 6 th at Cosatu is 'Future Challenges for the ANC.'
In conclusion, I want to respectfully challenge cde Gwedwe Mantashe to tell me about the 'future challenges and opportunities for the SACP,' and only then I will have confidence in him as a Party Chairperson.
cde thando
--
Thando Tshangelahttp://tsuai.blogspot.com/
Vita sine libris mors est
Thursday 6 December 2007
Victor Ntsosa Tsuai: 1954- 2000
Victor Tsuai is my late father. He was a scribe par excellence and I don't want his legacy to die. I created this blog to ensure that I write and carry the penning torch he lit years ago. I am hopeful that I will do this to the best of my ability.
In future I hope to publish some of his articles which appeared in the various newspapers.
Below are extracts from Victor Tsuai's orbituary.
The late Victor Ntsosa Tsuai was born in rural Coligny in the Northwest Province, South Africa on 06 April 1954 and passed away on 14 December 2000. His family later moved to Randfontein, West Rand, where he attended his primary and secondary education. There being no high school in Randfontein, Victor had to pursue matric at Orlando High School. It was here at Orlando High where the journalism bug showed in him.
After Matric he became a freelance journalist for The World newspaper. He was permanently employed by The Post after The World went defunct. The following are the newspapers and magazines which Victor served unselfishly and with dedication: Daily Mail (1977), Pace (1980), Drum (1983), New Nation (1988) and Sowetan (1990).
The year 1997 saw Victor serving City Press as a Sports Editor. It was here at City Press that his health gradually deteriorated. He was on and off in hospital till he met his untimely death (called to serve in the highest world).
Rest in Peace
A black cloud hangs over my home
By Tsuai
Drinking and crime has made me very afraid
Buhle Park, the place where I stay, is a small community. It consists of RDP houses and bond houses. The place was established in 1997. Most people who live in RDP houses don’t seem to be very poor as they have demolished the government houses and built bigger houses, even bigger than the bond houses.
The problem is that there is no school, no community hall, library, clinic, or swimming pool. But they are currently building a high school which should be operational next year.
The place is relatively peaceful, except of course for the rampant alcoholism and the loud music that we are subjected to every weekend. The people of this community love liquor, young and old, male and female. Everyday they drink. It picks up at weekends but the real drinking frenzy takes place at the end of the month. The music volumes are turned to maximum from early in the morning until late in the night.
I tried to organize a youth organisation but I ran into problems early on. My comrades didn’t turn up for meetings on weekends, and when they did, they came tipsy. Once someone brought his beer along to a meeting. I then decided to forget about this task and concentrate on reading good literature and writing more pieces to polish my craft.
This peaceful Buhle Park (except for the loud music and beer drinking) has been rocked by gruesome murders in the past months. In August a police officer was shot dead and his body was set alight. Two weeks back a woman was brutally murdered in the early hours of the morning.
Last week an Indian man who sells items door-to-door was shot dead and robbed of his vehicle in the street next to mine.
I’m afraid, very afraid. Death seems to stalk each and every corner, in every township, and knocks at every door. It is just a heart-beat away, no one knows the time and anyone can be a victim.
Published by Reporter.co.za
http://www.reporter.co.za/article.aspx?ID=RP21A651415
Drinking and crime has made me very afraid
Buhle Park, the place where I stay, is a small community. It consists of RDP houses and bond houses. The place was established in 1997. Most people who live in RDP houses don’t seem to be very poor as they have demolished the government houses and built bigger houses, even bigger than the bond houses.
The problem is that there is no school, no community hall, library, clinic, or swimming pool. But they are currently building a high school which should be operational next year.
The place is relatively peaceful, except of course for the rampant alcoholism and the loud music that we are subjected to every weekend. The people of this community love liquor, young and old, male and female. Everyday they drink. It picks up at weekends but the real drinking frenzy takes place at the end of the month. The music volumes are turned to maximum from early in the morning until late in the night.
I tried to organize a youth organisation but I ran into problems early on. My comrades didn’t turn up for meetings on weekends, and when they did, they came tipsy. Once someone brought his beer along to a meeting. I then decided to forget about this task and concentrate on reading good literature and writing more pieces to polish my craft.
This peaceful Buhle Park (except for the loud music and beer drinking) has been rocked by gruesome murders in the past months. In August a police officer was shot dead and his body was set alight. Two weeks back a woman was brutally murdered in the early hours of the morning.
Last week an Indian man who sells items door-to-door was shot dead and robbed of his vehicle in the street next to mine.
I’m afraid, very afraid. Death seems to stalk each and every corner, in every township, and knocks at every door. It is just a heart-beat away, no one knows the time and anyone can be a victim.
Published by Reporter.co.za
http://www.reporter.co.za/article.aspx?ID=RP21A651415
Wednesday 5 December 2007
Amagama* the enemy
By Tsuai
Destroying our lives
Children of Africa
Hear the new battle cry
The struggle not of
Targets and petrol bombs
An enemy invades us
A virulent virus causing a
Syndrome of mass destruction
Amagama HIV & AIDS
Struggle Africans
For A, B, C & D
And repel the enemy
Like you did apartheid
And you shall perish not
* Words- referring to HIV/AIDS
This is my poem published in Reporter.co.za
Destroying our lives
Children of Africa
Hear the new battle cry
The struggle not of
Targets and petrol bombs
An enemy invades us
A virulent virus causing a
Syndrome of mass destruction
Amagama HIV & AIDS
Struggle Africans
For A, B, C & D
And repel the enemy
Like you did apartheid
And you shall perish not
* Words- referring to HIV/AIDS
This is my poem published in Reporter.co.za
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Post to YCLSA
I find this debate interesting. The Party has been in the forefront of battles by the poor and marginalised eg the fight against credit bureaux and the Khutsong issue.
But in my honest opinion the Party has not done enough. Instead of pushing the struggle for socialism we are busy pushing capitalists to the forefront of the ANC in the hope that they will deliver socialism on a silver platter. I think it is wrong for Cosatu and SACP to be pushing JZ. He is not a communist, neither will he give us communism. He is like all the ANC neo-liberals.
I have lost confidence in the working class leadership. Apparently they want to be on JZ's side not because of his working class struggle credentials but rather they want to exploit the opportunities that will be presented by being in JZ's government.
The failure to take the resolution to contest the national elections smacks of opportunism on the part of our vanguard. Are we always content to be sharing the same bed with the neo-liberals while we preach communism to the masses.
At the opening of the ANC Policy Conference Cde Mbeki said that the Party must not delegate the socialist task to the ANC ( linked below). According to Cde Zico Tamela, SACP GP Secretary, the Party 'must not lead only the socialist revolution, it must also lead the national democratic revolution.' (article linked below)
We wont lead the socialist revolution by supporting leaders like JZ. The question remains: is the SACP still relevant to lead the workers & masses to socialism?
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mbeki/2007/tm0627.htm
http://www.thetimes.co.za/Columnists/ChrisBarron/Article.aspx?id=474573 cde thando
But in my honest opinion the Party has not done enough. Instead of pushing the struggle for socialism we are busy pushing capitalists to the forefront of the ANC in the hope that they will deliver socialism on a silver platter. I think it is wrong for Cosatu and SACP to be pushing JZ. He is not a communist, neither will he give us communism. He is like all the ANC neo-liberals.
I have lost confidence in the working class leadership. Apparently they want to be on JZ's side not because of his working class struggle credentials but rather they want to exploit the opportunities that will be presented by being in JZ's government.
The failure to take the resolution to contest the national elections smacks of opportunism on the part of our vanguard. Are we always content to be sharing the same bed with the neo-liberals while we preach communism to the masses.
At the opening of the ANC Policy Conference Cde Mbeki said that the Party must not delegate the socialist task to the ANC ( linked below). According to Cde Zico Tamela, SACP GP Secretary, the Party 'must not lead only the socialist revolution, it must also lead the national democratic revolution.' (article linked below)
We wont lead the socialist revolution by supporting leaders like JZ. The question remains: is the SACP still relevant to lead the workers & masses to socialism?
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mbeki/2007/tm0627.htm
http://www.thetimes.co.za/Columnists/ChrisBarron/Article.aspx?id=474573 cde thando
Thursday 29 November 2007
Community to get school
The community of Buhle Park in Ekurhuleni will get its first school early next year. The Gauteng MEC for Education promised two schools to the community back in July 2005 in the aftermath of an accident involving a school bus. On the 11th of February (2005) a school bus ferrying learners from Buhle Park to surrounding areas left one learner dead and four without their legs. The school bus collided with a truck near Leondale. Learners in the area have to commute to neighbouring locations to attend school every morning.
Construction of one of the promised school was supposed to begin in 2006 but the contractor failed to await a geotechnical report from the engineers before erecting foundations on site. The contractor was later dismissed and a new one appointed. The latter started construction in June this year and was given 10 months to complete the project. The local councillor and the principal agent have confirmed that the recent contractor was given a go ahead to build the school.
After numerous complaints about the slow progress of the project, and calls to the councilor and the department of Education, things look promising. The residents are expecting the school to be completed at least next year March or April, provided that there won’t be any extras or extensions of time.
Construction of one of the promised school was supposed to begin in 2006 but the contractor failed to await a geotechnical report from the engineers before erecting foundations on site. The contractor was later dismissed and a new one appointed. The latter started construction in June this year and was given 10 months to complete the project. The local councillor and the principal agent have confirmed that the recent contractor was given a go ahead to build the school.
After numerous complaints about the slow progress of the project, and calls to the councilor and the department of Education, things look promising. The residents are expecting the school to be completed at least next year March or April, provided that there won’t be any extras or extensions of time.
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