Qamata ndiguqe ngamadolo ndibhekise iimpundu phezulu, ndikuthandaza.
Liyaphela ilizwe sibukele. Ndingomnye wabantu abathi kungcono wehle uzoba phakathi kwethu. Camagu. I write this little piece because I am in great shock, anger, trauma about what is happening in society.
I am struggling to make sense of the ongoing rape of minors. As not only man a but a parent of a girl child, I am completely shattered by the rising number of crimes of this nature. As a man Qamata, I am in a traumatic state where I have no solutions, only questions. The education system, the law, the, justice systerm, the government are failing us. We are failing ourselves. Had we been strict on criminals and corruption we would not have been in this situation, I believe. Had we not done away with kangaroo courts and traditional leadership, we would not have been crying about minors being raped. Newspapers are full of headlines about the rape of children – in Philippi, in Soweto, KwaZulu-Natal. Qamata , this is confusing not only to me but to the victim too. We have seen school children protesting about their teachers who are sleeping with them, impregnating them in the process. Those are supposed to be their parents away from home. I have lost respect for men, including those who claim to be leaders. Qamata, I have no hope for the future of a girl child.People are talking about professionals and God-fearing people are telling me that the world is coming to an end. But I know that is not scientific, so I do not trust them.
They also told me never to question you and I will not do that.
The recent crime stats have shown that we are people with no conscience.
People that we trust are in the dock for rape. Who would thought Bill Cosby might ever be accused number one in a rape trial? Statistics show that men are becoming animals Educated people are telling us to have conversation, specifically conversations about sex with our children. But at what stage must I start talking about sex to my children? The African in me asks, how do I begin that conversation with my daughters and at what age? Will that help the boy child to stop raping? I doubt so. Some said we need to put more focus on the boy child, that too will not work.The truth is we are facing challenges in our societies whether in Khayelitsha, Bonteheuwel, Mitchell’s Plain and many black townships.
I want to make a difference in my country but how do I do that when our leaders are corrupt? If people in Manenberg, Bonteheuwel, Langa, Delft can get up early in the morning to close roads in protest of gangsterism, crime and lack of jobs, I have hope we can defeat many other social ills.
But because I am still confused, I cannot tell you exactly how we will do so.If we stopped idolising criminals and stopped buying stolen goods, we can make a dent in crime.We also need to stop blaming the police, and look at ourselves. I suggest we can come together and speak to the drug-lords. If we can slay on social media, we can do that IRL (in real life).Qamata, as I have said, I have no answers, but I am concerned and believe we must do something. Let us stop destroying our infrastructure in protest of crime, instead siye apho kufele ithole. Ubunye ngamandla.