A contribution to Umsebenzi from comrade Mike Mashabela, Nurse's co-ordinator
for NEHAWU's Kwamhlanga branch.
I dreamed of a dream that defeated my imaginations. Yes, I dreamed.
I dreamed
of South Africa being led to freedom by cde Madiba, the first African
President
od democratic South Africa.
There was jubilation and ululations from the rainbow nation as he carried
the
candle stick of leadership and brought unity to different racial groups
in our
country.
There was hope and life in the face of South Africa. However, the westerly
winds soon blew out the candle stick in his hands and the darkness
of
confusion
set in.
The Western world, led by the I.M.F. and World Bank, realising the darkness
in
our country, offered a sophisticated candle stick and promised that
it would
put South Africa in the light - a light that shines beyond its borders
and
into
the surrounding sea.
To the detriment of all however, their light only covered ten percent
of the
country - the rest was left in the dark as the doors of education and
learning
were closed. It became a fertile soil for drug trafficking, murder,
hunger,
low
wages and mass retrenchments. The whole country began to resemble the
biblical
Sodom.
Education became a privilege and the socio-economic life of the nation
became a
survival of the fittest. The whole country suffered from anxiety and
a panicky
disorder. Realising the loss of people-power for the human, energy-driven
IMF
candle, the casualties were given free medical services for early recovery,
in
order to continue providing cheap labour.
Then I saw comrade Chris Hani coming out of his grave, and in his hands
he
held
a powerful light that destroyed the darkness of confusion. The doors
of
education and learning were opened and the country drifted towards
social
order.
Yes, I dreamed. I dreamed a dream that society lives through social
norms and
values. Lest we forget the Vietnam holocaust, South Africa shall drift
into
the
sea of drunkenness. Our children, the youth of our country, shall be
slaves of
our ignorance.
Let us feed our children with the milk of human-kind, for the future
of a
nation depends on the adequate socio-economic development of its youth.
Yes, I dreamed a dream that provoked my emotions, the emotions that
are the
burning oil of our national democratic revolution.
AMANDLA - SOCIALISM IS THE FUTURE!