The innocent crime of being Zimbabwean

The Soweto Uprisings: The image that sums up the despair of that day

June 16 2011. What a bittersweet day. One part of me has celebrated the triumph over adversity that this day represents to the countries of Africa, and South Africa in particular. But another part of me has felt like breaking up into a million pieces of sorrow for the violence that my fellow countrymen and women, Zimbabweans, are still facing at the hands of our neighbour, South Africa.

In case you are a little confused, here is a bit of history. On June 16 1976, black South African students led uprisings against the apartheid regime revolting against the compulsory introduction of Afrikaans as one of  the main languages of instruction within the education system. Afrikaans, with its connotations of racism and separatism as enshrined by the Afrikaaner-led ruling National Party, represented much of what non-white South Africans deemed their oppression. Therefore, to be forced to learn and, ironically, enrich one’s knowledge base using such an oppressive language was simply degrading and a step taken too far for these South Africans. And so they took to the streets to protest and demand the immediate reversal of this legal decree.

It is estimated that over 20 000 students took part in what is now commonly referred to as the ‘Soweto Uprisings’. Of those brave students, almost 200 died.  But the image that has come to symbolise the gallant efforts of those youth is one in which a young man, Mbuyisa Makhubo (18) runs through the streets of Soweto carrying the dead and  limp body of 13-year-old Hector Pietersen, one of the students shot dead by the apartheid police. Pietersen’s older sister, Antoinette Sithole runs astride the pair, holding up a hand in panic and despair.

This is a solemn image that speaks to many people the world over who have struggled against any system of oppression; who have chosen to fight even when their weapons were blunter, smaller and less effective than those of their opponent; who have stood up to be counted and even laid down their lives in sacrifice.

This is the South Africa that I love – the South Africa that inspires me and gives me hope.

But, as I write, I am filled with mixed emotions. Today, on the 35^th anniversary of this important day, I learnt of the death of 26-year-old Farai Kujirichita. Living in a South African settlement in the city of Johannesburg, Farai – a Zimbabwean national – was bludgeoned to death by a mob in his community in January.

His crime?

Being Zimbabwean.

This story only came to light last week when the New York Times wrote an extended feature about the incident, even supplying a chilling link to a video recording of the South African mob jeering and cheering as they beat Farai to death with a wooden plank. His skull and face were crushed in and by the time the police came to the scene of the incident, he was already dead.

Over the last few years, instances of violence between Zimbabweans and South Africans have been on the increase.

Xenophobia: Intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries. The death of this Mozambican man brings that definition to brutal life.

Due to a decaying national economy and growing political unrest, many Zimbabweans have left their homeland in pursuit of greater stability. It is estimated that by 2010, there were approximately 1,5 million Zimbabweans living in South Africa. Many more are to be found in Botswana, the United Kingdom and North America.

But we have not always been so welcome in the countries where we have fled, particularly in South Africa.

In 2008, widespread xenophobic attacks perpetrated by South Africans against other African nationals, particularly Zimbabweans, scarred relationships and heightened tensions between nationals of the two countries. During those attacks, it was officially estimated that in just the month of May 2008, 62 foreigners were killed; 670 injured and 30 000 displaced. Most of these were Zimbabwean, although the image that has come to represent this horrible carnage is one of a Mozambican man who was set alight by a disgruntled community and who shortly died from his injuries.

I try to reconcile this image of brutality against fellow Africans with that of the brutality that South Africans themselves faced so many years ago. And I am not sure what to feel. But I know that it hurts my heart completely that we are at war with each other like this.

When I posted a link to the article about Farai Kujirichita on my Facebook wall, I could sense the great anger that many of my Zimbabwean friends felt at this violence. Are Zimbabweans so terrible that we should be tortured like animals?!

I have lived in South Africa and I know that not all South Africans hate Zimbabweans. Some of my best friends are South African. I love to speak isiZulu and there’s nothing I adore more than listening to South African music. But I have also received those discomforting looks of disapproval passed my way by some South Africans; those who give me the cold shoulder when they ask me something in Xhosa and I respond in English that I do not understand; or the ones who start talking to me and say, “Those Zimbabweans…” not realising that I am one too.

And so today, my heart is torn between loving this country and choosing to be angry.

The first goal of the 2010 World Cup: Many Zimbabweans celebrated with Simphiwe Tshabalala and South Africa.

I felt this way again last year on July 12, just after the end of the World Cup, when I happened to be at the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Zimbabweans had been put on high alert that just after the end of the games, xenophobic attacks would likely flare up again. Many took the warning seriously and decided to pack up their lives and  go back to their faltering nation and wait for things to settle down once more in their adopted country, South Africa. I watched families bind all of their belongings to the tops of buses – televisions, sets of sofas, beds, kitchen tables and chairs – everything that they had worked hard to buy. I watched adults and babies alike struggle for comfort in crammed jaunty buses, their faces riddled with uncertainty and fear.

I watched and found it ironic that fellow Africans had to flea South Africa the day after the greatest spectacle that this continent has ever brought to the world – an event that showed that indeed, Africa was a continent of colour, capability and unity.

My heart broke then. But I think it breaks even more today.

Major South African HIV policy changes signal dawn of new era

Zuma: Commitment to HIV and AIDS, at last

After years of denialism around HIV and AIDS, the new chorus ringing from South Africa’s government is one of responsibility.

For a few weeks, speculation had been rife that this World AIDS Day, South African President, Jacob Zuma, would announce significant policy changes in South Africa’s national response to HIV and AIDS.

The media had speculated about a national HIV testing campaign and about changes to the CD4 count threshold for initiation onto ARVs.

But no one had quite anticipated the magnitude of the changes that the South African government would announce before a 6000-strong congregation at the national WAD commemorations held in Tshwane.

Commemorated under the national theme, ‘I am responsible. We are responsible. South Africa is taking responsibility”, this year’s World AIDS Day was intended as a departure from veiled efforts and poor commitment to the national HIV and AIDS response – two features which coloured the era of the former president, Thabo Mbeki.

“Our message is simple,” said Jacob Zuma. “We have to stop the spread of HIV.”

And this is why radical measures are being taken in the response to an epidemic that has played a significant role in lowering South Africa’s life expectancy to just 51 years of age.

First among these policy changes is that all children under one year of age will get treatment if HIV positive. Previously, children’s enrolment onto ARVs had been determined by their CD4  count levels.

And for those babies who still have a hope that they might be born without HIV, Zuma announced that all pregnant HIV positive women with a CD4 count of 350, or symptoms of AIDS (regardless of CD4 count) would be initiated onto ARVs. In addition, all other pregnant women not in this category would be put onto ARVs at 14 weeks of pregnancy.

With TB and HIV co-infection rates standing at over 70%, the South African government  has lowered the CD4 count threshold level for initiation onto ARVs for people who are co-infected with HIV and TB to 350 (from the previous 200).

Also, in an effort to harmonise health services, all South African health institutions will be reformed to receive persons with HIV-related illness.

As the crowd clapped and cheered, calling out ‘Msholozi’ – Zuma’s nickname – the president still had yet one more announcement to make.

A national HIV counselling and testing campaign to get all South Africans to know their HIV status will be launched in March next year.

“Though I already know my status, I am making arrangements for another test as part of the campaign,” said Zuma.

In addition, Zuma called for an end to political debates about HIV and AIDS. Recently, there have been debates in the media about whether Thabo Mbeki should be charged for genocide for his government’s slow response to the urgency of HIV and AIDS, a deathly slowness that cost many their lives.

“Let today be the dawn of a new era,” he added. Let there be no more shame, blame, discrimination and stigma.”

What should we do with rapists?

If anyone ever raped me, trust me, I would hunt that man down and personally cut off his dangly bits. I know that sounds harsh but just think of the physical, spiritual and emotional invasion that rapists execute and you won’t think that what I am saying is so crazy.

I hate to believe that human beings, given a higher order of sense and control than animals, can actually wish to inflict non-consensual bodily harm on another person. But if global incidences of rape are anything to go by, humankind is in really big trouble.

In  a recent South African survey, it was discovered that one in four South African men said they had raped someone, and nearly half of them admitted to more than one attack.

No means no!

And yesterday, a Zimbabwean newspaper carried a story that an HIV-positive social worker, working with a district AIDS council, raped three sisters – aged 10, 14 and 16 – and infected them with HIV. The man was initially sentenced to 53 years imprisonment but had 8 years suspended on condition he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

Someone posted a snippet from that story on Facebook and asked friends to suggest what ought to be done to the man. Some mentioned castration, while others felt that he should just be put to death because “a man without his private parts can’t survive”.

I second that argument. What right does the man have to his sexuality when he has refused that right to another person? If he ever rapes another woman, surely it will be blood on the justice system’s hands.

Now, I admit that my sentiments are premised on the whole “eye-for-an-eye” concept, which is not what we ought to subscribe to in this day and age. But, really, rape is about stealing a person’s body, ravaging it, devouring it and spitting it back out.

It’s not like petty crimes where stolen things can be replaced. It leaves emotional scars, fears and doubts.

I remember watching a TV programme in which a young woman, who had been saving her virginity for marriage, was raped on her way home by a stranger. Immediately afterwards, she began to engage in promiscuous sexual activity because she felt that the only reason she had been raped was because the rapist had seen a ‘slut’ in her. And so, in her efforts to come to terms with the act, she assumed the role that he had given to her.

These are the very real repercussions of a rape.

Maybe I am not a good enough person, but I would still go after that man with a gleaming knife and slice through his manhood.

Besides a death sentence, it’s the only foolproof measure that guarantees that a rapist will not rape another woman. And to be honest, a death sentence is the easy way out.

What nonsense!

I derive a lot of satisfaction from listening to ANC youth league leader, Julius Malema speak. Not because he is erudite or knowledgeable, but because he has the knack of coming up with the most controversial statements about all things that affect South Africa’s politics.

At it: Julius Malema

In many ways, he is as good for South Africa’s media as Joseph Chinotimba, the Zimbabwean  war veteran leader is for us. Recently, Chinotimba – also known as ‘Chinos’ –  cooked up a storm for alleging that an MDC deputy minister, Thamsanqa Mahlangu, had stolen his cell phone, valued at less than USD 50. Mahlangu was arrested on the charge with Chinos suing him for USD 19 million for ‘loss of business’.

Yep, that’s our Chinos – so amusing are his actions that Zimbabweans have come up with a string of jokes about him!

With Malema too, there is never a dull moment and the media is always on the ready to slurp up more of his wacky comments.

Remember when he called Helen Zille a racist little girl, who kept male politicians as her concubines?

A low blow much like Chinos’ own remarks made in an interview with UK- based SW Radio Africa. When asked about the 2000 invasion of white-owned farms, Chinos responded to the interviewer, Violet Gonda,

“You are very foolish…Was your father’s land invaded? Did your father have any land when the land was seized? Did your own father not live up in a mountain? So if you father takes some land, will that be an invasion of land? Are you not ashamed of yourself?!”

Joseph Chinotimba, also known as Chinos

This month, Malema, who has openly called the handling of the Caster Semenya saga racist, gave us an insight into why he thinks the world is out to bring down the South African 800m champion.

“Hermaphrodite, what is that? Somebody tell me, what is hermaphrodite in Pedi? There’s no such thing, hermaphrodite in Pedi. So don’t impose your hermaphrodite concepts on us.

In other words, Malema believes that the leaked information that states that Semenya has both male and female sex organs cannot be correct because the concept of hermaphrodism does not exist within his own Pedi culture.

I gasped in exasperation as this only serves to further fuel the stigma that Semenya might suffer due to this saga.

Malema went on to say that one is definitively either a man or a woman, and that when a child is born, noone in the village ever goes about saying they have had a hermaphrodite.

So just because there is no word for it Pedi, hermaphrodites don’t exist?

Methinks such statements are counter-constructive as they only serve to make those who are hermaphrodites ashamed of something that they have no control over.

It’s one thing to be controversial, and therefore hilarious, but it’s another thing to peddle misinformation.

And as Chinos and Malema show, they very often tend to be misinformed and highly disrespectful.