22 September 2014

How does one fix a problem? How does a problem come about in the first place? These are questions we ask ourselves every day, just to prove that life really is full of problems. You know, I believe the way we think, ask questions, and do things is the way that determines the kind of people we will be tomorrow.

I think people normally consider their future mostly, rather than their past as well, or the general history, and that is a major problem. In order to fix a problem, you would mostly look at how it came about, you would not just fix it. For example, in the area that I live in, Mdantsane, people are fed up with almost everything that happens in their lives. They are always complaining about the government not doing anything for them in terms of bringing those channels which they could use to make something out of their lives. One of the questions that I always ask myself then, is how that all got to happen. Another would be what this all means for the future of this place. If so many generations which were considered to be very talented tried to succeed through sports and other activities and yet failed, what does that imply about the children that are now growing up in this area? I know, if I would pose these questions to the government authorities of this area, I would most probably receive answers like ‘no, this time around, things are different, this is a new and improved government, and we’re aiming at these issues, we want to develop Mdantsane’.

However, if one would ask the elders of this place, these have always been, if not similar, the words used to comfort them or persuade them into voting for government officials, and yet, nothing changes.

Sadly, the people that don’t get to make something out of their lives turn to things like alcohol and drugs. Some even become unemployed, maybe because they never obtained good grades at school, the only thing they were good at was their talent, be it singing, other forms of art, sports and other activities.

Mdantsane is the second largest township in South Africa, 99,5% of people are Xhosa, and its success in sports only came through boxing. Isn’t that sad for the people that live here, are all kids from this area only going to be successful only through this particular sport? I know a lot of talented youth here, judging by the current situation, chances are, they aren’t going to be successful. This blog is aiming at changing that though, through the discussions that are going to take place here.