I FEAR!

Great fear struck me this morning when reading a feature story about prophet and author Credo Mutwa’s previous predictions that have recently become a reality and future predictions for the country. All the papers published his prediction/prophecy he made about former president Thabo Mbeki’s removal last week. Mutwa said “I cannot see the whole of Thabo Mbeki’s term of office. I don’t know why. “Maybe I won’t live long enough to see the rest of it. Mbeki will have to use all his wisdom, sometimes his ruthlessness, to deal with what is coming” about ten years ago. Most recently, in an interview with City Press, he said he sees imminent danger still coming. I must admit that this statement, like my grandma’s mythical educational stories, it does send shivers down my spine. Massive sadness for my people and I shoots my heart. At the beginning of Mbeki’s removal saga I must admit it was interesting, because for once I noticed that ordinary South Africans were engaging in discussions about politics of their country, which I think is good for every democratic nation. People in taxis were discussing it, shockingly with a lot of intelligence. But recently, the interest in the public dialogue has turned to fear. People are not only taking sides in this, but use very violent language to make their points known. One man(anonymous, but a member of the ANC, he confirmed to me) this morning talked about Zuma and Mbeki sides as though they are rivals ready to battle it out. Using tribalism as his main tool he said “South Africa can never be ruled by a boy” referring to Zuma because he is Zulu and they don’t go to the bush. He went on to say, as much as Zuma’s people were prepared to fight for him, so was he and the branch’s fellow ANC members. Last week in Mtata two ward councilors were fired by the ANC branch because they attended former ANC chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota’s visit to the branch. Yesterday and today groups of students at the Walter Sisulu University, Zamukulungisa, in Mtata are fighting over votes for the campus, and the fight is within the students of SASCO which is one of the ANC affiliates. Word around campus is that they are divided like their big exemplary party, ANC. With the other group on Zuma’s side, and the other on the Lekota/ Mbeki camp. Two lives have now been lost in the fight, with one student shot, other one stabbed with an axe. While scores of students are brutally injured. Fellow intern and student at the campus who was there last night says one of the students stoned and stabbed is not even a member of the party in dispute. It saddens me to think of the family of this student, who innocently sent their child to get educated, and are now faced with this. These students are young people who follow an example of what their leaders are doing. Mbeki, Zuma and Lekota may not be exchanging fist blows, but anyone can tell they are contributing to the brewing war in this country. As for ANY youth league leader Julius Malema, he’s appalling. Talking about killing for Zuma, what does that say to the youth he’s the leader of? We would like to believe that South Africans can make their own mind, but please, get real; we know how much influence some people have on a large number of people in the country. So I’m trying to say what is happening now at the WSU campus is as a result of statements like Malema. And one thing is for sure, you conquer the mind of a youth, you dictate the future because youth is the future. Now that the word that violence is the way, it makes me wonder if this new prediction by tata Mutwa is really also going to come true. Where do I as an individual stand? All the excitement about casting my first vote in the general elections next year is slowly fading. There is no solid aposition and the only optional ruling party is collapsing.

The reason for all this I believe is the lack of tolerance and the ability to accept change. Lekota is not doing anything different from what Zuma and his boy Malema were doing, he’s throwing insults too. His statement about the freedom charter not saying “we will steal” was immature, He knows that the corruption charges against Zuma are still pending but he went on to say such a statement, how exactly does that add anything to the equation? As for Mbeki, I will say this once more, his silence is deafning. I wonder what is it that he plans to do. will he joing the "new ANC" and lead there after all the attention has shifted away from him?Why would Lekota start a party because of the "ill treatment" of Mbeki and not consult him first? I think Mbeki is playing with South African's mind. He wants to remain the innoccent guy who went down without protest and listened to the people who put him as president. A lot of people seem to have forgotten that Mbeki is not as 'holy" as he would like us to believe.In the ANC summit before Polokwane, Mbeki dissmissed tatuMandela while he was giving word of advice on a certain. Apperently he blew him off like a fly. Saying tatuMandela had no say, he's just like any membership card holder in the ANC with nothing to add. What does one say to such arrogance? As for the Polokwane summit, it's a story for another day. He had to humilliate himself and try to compete for 3rd term. I'm not a fan of Zuma but, I hate a dictator more than anyting. There is no explanation in what he was trying to do. As an open minded person, I'm patiently waiting to hear if there is any truth to the inference by Judge Nicholson hinting that there could political motives behind Zuma's investigation. I just can't wait for the findings. Maybe that one truth can help the country heal all these wounds before they get any deeper because flies are starting to eat it up. But I wonder if a new party or the Judge's finding on the infered political interferance in the Zuma charges reverse the damage? I think not.

p.s:don't get it twisted, these are my opinions, based on my own commentary. So please don't crucify me.

too little time so much to do

Well there's a lot of catching up to be done but eish I aint got time.Anyway, Here goes, I got fired, cried, got used to it, sat at home for a month doing nothing and just trying to figure out what I will do differently next time. After noticing that I wasn't getting any replies from the big dogs in the media industry my last option was my hometown's community radio station eMthatha. Like I said it was really my last option to be able to graduate next year. I packed all my staff at home(in East London) went to eMthatha without even sending in my CV first, anyway who can do better at expressing my capabilities between I and a piece of paper?obviously ME!It went well, but problem is I DON'T GET PAID, not even a cent. Kuyafiwa ke apho, working each day knowing damn well that I wont get no money at the end of it. but the issue of passion comes up again. I get to do what I've always wanted to do here. Funny as it may sound, I've always wanted to sign out maan after finishing a report...kanje yabo...For CNN news I'm Zona Mpendulo...lmao...eish andkatsho ngok, ndisathi UCR fm, but it's a start nhe!ey call me vane or whatever, but I like being credited. Even with the whole newspaper and byline thing, it's all about recognition, you know. The satisfaction of knowing that your work is published and will be heard and seen. There isn't much of a difference in what I do here daily and what I used to do at the newspaper. I still go for diary meetings, go out there, interview people, do research yonke wethu, but the credit comes faster, and I get to do my cliche sign off.lol. It's going well, Qha I've had some embarassing moments, where I felt like never going back on air again while reading the news nhe!I started off nicely, hey andazanga kwaqalela phi!andabhuda hayi kangaka!I was doing the isiXhosa bulletin, a story bout some prisoners who escaped. hay ke ndatsho ndatsho, then this line was bout prison warders/wardens/whatever wethu andaz kthwan xa zibizwa, but ngesiXhosa ngaMadindala, ndabhidwa...khala ngoMadiba,madinana, I just froze nje from there. Just reading njee without feeling it or understanding what I was saying. I still find it hard to lough about it nangok. A good friend advised me to be easy on myself and lough at myself, but I can't....Anyway that's done...now I have another challenge facing me!I'm starting the grave yard program tonight, yinto endizaythetha naban eyo cwabaza ngobusuku talking to "ghost" listeners..hehee!but I'm looking forward to it. very excited. I've started compiling for it now, Cause I'm done at the news department. I'm very excited, I'm doing the show with Masta P, who's been with the station for a while now. Will tell you tomorrow ke uba i "late night virgin breaking"yam ihambe njani. Lonto ke I haven' t even told my Grandpa that I will be working late, I think he's gonna make a fuss bout it. My old man just can't get it through he skull that I'm old now, and I have to do these things. I heard from my uncle that uTamkhulu said ndiya Outta, yhe madoda, can't a girl live a little? He was talkin bout the fact that I went for drinks to a friend's place on Saturday, I got a bit tipsy(maybe not a bit) I just couldn't go home like that. but I did give him a call telling him a story. What did he want me to do ke? hay hay hay...
Ey mand'hambe
Later

September 11

Heh yaz this day has been on my mind since last week, I can't say I was looking forward to it, but bekukho this feeling I can't explain nje ngayo. Not because three of my friends are born today, not for the 9/11 American terror attacks, but because I'm giving birth to my second blog, a lighter one I think. check it out: http://ms-blaze.blog.com

peace be still

Positive!

Gosh! I woke up today in good spirits, having read an article in Cosmopolitan about having a positive out-look on life, having peace with the world and loving the ones around, despite the challenges I’m face with. This all sounded easily applicable, until the realities of my life hit me. Even the simplest of all things are complicated at the moment. To start off, I was playing the nice neighbour yesterday and borrowed the girl next door my cell phone charger. She was borrowing it for the second time now two days in a row. I understood the first time she wanted it because she gave me some kak story about forgetting hers at her sister’s place. Yesterday I got a bit pissed off, but thought to myself: loosen up, it’s only a charger! And damn I hate listening to that little voice now. I woke up this morning with my phone’s battery completely dead (all thanks to chatting with my long distance boyfriend till 2am on mxit), and guess what? My good neighbour had left for work and didn’t bring back my charger. Mind you, I’m currently looking for a job and am expecting calls from possible employers, what’s the positive now? Where is the bright side in this? I can’t see it! but I guess I just have to live with that now!damn late this afternoon when she comes back, I’m going to give her a piece of my mind. With out any connection to the world, I lazily dragged myself out of bed and made breakfast, not cereal this time, I felt like having something junk and yes wait for it FATNING! My last night’s dinner leftovers did the trick. I warmed it up quickly and stuffed my face till I felt FAT and surprisingly HAPPY!Amazing!And I realised that even though the whole mood downer came in the form the charger saga, it wasn't the main source of my stress. It's my being unemployed that is.Well just between me and you, I wasn’t surprised by my sudden mood change. My junk food makes me happy. Well I’ve seen self help books and Dr. Phil bashing how comfort eating is, and yeah I agree with them for health purposes, but damn I can’t suffer in silence( in this case, Hunger). It’s not an everyday thing wethu. And hey there’s a bright side to this one. I may be going to gain a few kilos, but I’m happy. Spirits back on a high ke ngok, and with Common as my sound track for this morning, nothing can stop Me! while singing along to the song he did for the movie "Freedom writers" I have dream, something inside me suddenly came alive. Apart from the fact that I realised that yes, I am free, I am a writer, I am uZona and, yes I believe in me. I will succeed. Not even the fowl mouthed taxi driver that I used on my way to town wont put me down. Now listening to a tune by Mika called Relax! (listening to it in my head though, I'm at the library kalok), nyani ke maybe I should relax, I may be out of a job for now, but what's the use of stressing?I know I'm doing my best, and something big is yet to come for me. Ndipholile nyan ke ngok. but as for intombi ye charge!Mhmm mandngathethi...
Later!

It's been a while

Eish a lot has changed, I don't much access to the blogosphere as much as I used and would love to...but please don't forget me yet blog world...Immo make it up to you soon

I often here people reminiscing about the good old days with passion; I don't here many talking about the "good new days" with as much pride. I guess change is not easy to succumb to.Due to changes in our lives, we sometimes have to move to different places and leave friends and family behind. Even the smallest of these moves make a big impact in our being. One that I have marked, having just left hometown and university is how much I appreciate my friends and family. I have noticed that I'm more appreciative of the moments we had together, and I realise how much I love them. I'm sure I'm not the first person to notice that human kind tends to appreciate things more when they are gone. There is this girl I knew through-out my university life, we didn't get along that well when we were attending classes together. Our heads did not clash or anything like that, but we were just not close. Now that we've both relocated to different cities and we communicate electronically, we've become close friends. Which makes me wonder, what's become different in our personalities now? we’re still the same people we were mos, but what's with the change?(I like it though)Another case I've noticed is the appreciation people who believe and worship ancestors have on these people who have died. These believers spend money to do ceremonies to show their love for ancestors. I think it would be effortless and less expensive to just tell their ancestors while they were still alive that they love them. But hey if bayay'thanda why not!Now that I have notice this, I'm gonna try to enjoy every "good new day” even if it does not so good. And tell those I love that I do when I'm sure that they can here me, while it cost nothing to here their reply, when I'm not separated by miles from them.I'm out

FrOnT PaGe!

OMG!I made it!Well I started this whole blog thing at a time I was confuse; I didn't know which journalism 'route' or field to take, and inventually made up my mind( you already know this if you've blogging me). Now I can safely say I made a good decision to come here( community newspaper in Queenstown).
I was ecstatic when I got my first ever by line on the 4th of July, that was one of the happiest days of my life. I know to some people seeing your work in a publication does not mean that much, but I'm sure fellow journos would understand this feeling. Well it doesn't just end there, from just the by-line, front page was the next space of the paper was THE FRONT PAGE!and yes I made it! for the first time last week friday. I decided not to be loud with that one, I thought na my editor just gave me the chance to lead, just to make me feel good. but when I made again today, it now feels really really good. there is just noway a newspaper not even a small one like The Rep would never take a chance with front page, it's the decider for the sales, yes it is my good work that earned me front page...The funny thing is I can't really share my excitement with the senior journos here, they don't see the fuss in getting front page anymore. And also just play along, I gave a slight glance of the paper today and later took a copy with to the ladies' and got all praise,from myself(lol)...and damn lemme say again it felt good!

To me this re-asures me that that yes I am the decider for my future, my success lies within me!...Baby steps though(lol) Kqhel'uthwa: ngcambaza Sabelo. Andingo Sabelo ke mna kodwa ndizongcambaza, ndizode ndifike apho ndinomnqweno wokufika khona.

MUSEUM!

I visited the Queenstown and frontier museum...Check out what I saw

Wild life!damn they look so real

Black slavery history( behind me, figuratively and other wise)

Sister sister:-)

My lovely sister and best friend...Nondwe Mpendulo

The beauty of my isiXhosa traditional garp

I went to the Queens cassino park crafts exhibition last week sunday and was amazed by the talent of the rural women fo the Queenstown area. I could see from the way they showed us around, there's a certain to significance and reason behind each creation they have.
(In the Picture)hand made women models in IMIBHACO (Xhosa traditional women gear)

ulonwabo

eNaleding

My mentor, senior journalist at The Rep

Int'wentle iyanconywa

I started this whole blog thing just to voice out my opinion.And I'm achieving much more than I anticipated. I've manage to get my friends to start blogging. It's such a great feel to notice that I've contributed something positive to my friends.

(pitty most of you can't comment because of the difficult posting steps of blogspot, but just follow all the steps uzoba ryt )

My people let's keep on sharing information. After all an uniformed society is a dead one. Let's keep writing.

S.Sobona's work(The Rep editorial cartoon)

Wow!South Africa has come a long way. We are a democratic state, with everyone equal regardless of race and culture. Most South Africans have high hopes and big dreams for the country. But working for a community newspaper(The Rep) has opened my eyes to an appauling incident. There's a part in the paper where we do vox pox, with local and national politics being the main focal point. In a vox pox we are expected to get views and opinions from a diverse group of people, from different races and cultures. Throughout this process of getting people's opinions and views, I've noticed that white people don't give a damn about what is happening with our government and politics. Two weeks back we did a vox pox on the issue of former Eastern Cape premier Nosimo Bhalindlela being removed of office. We took to the town hoping to get people voicing out. The first White person that we(me and Athenkosi,Rhodes university journalism student) approached was shocked that we were representing a newspaper. She said "I thought I was being mugged". That was the most degrading thing anyone has ever said to me. from there she didn't even want to comment on the issue, which I didn't have a problem with, but was shocked by her judgement on us. I was shocked to hear that I look like a mugger. I see myself as a decent looking young woman ( even though I don't walk around with pencil skirts and stilletos) and I can say the same about Athi. I asked the lady why she thought so but she just loughed it off and said "never mind". Why wouldn't I mind? What is it in me that looks like a criminal? then the old cliche` comes about: Is it because I'm BLACK?but anyway the point of this post was on the lack of knowledge of what is happening in our government and politics in white people in Queenstown. So we went on with the program, spoke to few people got their opinions. For the sake of diversity, we tried different races. The two white people we aproached didn't even know who Bhalindlela is. The other said all these( I don't know who he was refering to) people don't know how to run a country. He suggested there should be a 'clean up', starting from state president. I asked myself why would he want all of them cleaned out if he doesn't know what their positions and duties are. From noticing that none of the white people knew who Bhalindlela is, just for interest sake, I aproach some more people for my own understanding and research. Only one participant knew Bhalindle, but she said she thought she was still the department of the education minister. Even though Bhalindlela left that position a while ago, I considered this to have been a positive responce. Two boys from the town's boys high thought Mandela was still president. That was the funniest of all the responces. I mean come on!Mandela still president?!That was classic.

( I know you're asking yourself why I targeted white people, but there aren't many races in this town, there's black and white people and a few Indian shop owners)

Well I don't know who is to blame for this lack of knowledge. Is it us the media? Is it ingnorance from white people?

THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY! T.G.I.F( danger!)

The last day of working and school day of the week always brings excitement to people. To some it marks a time to unwind and relax. To others a time to spend with family. but amongst my fellow youths, it marks a time to party and go clubbing. Which includes DRINKING and DRUGS. Then a question crosses my mind: When did binge drinking become so popular in our generation? This is an issue faced by many countries. Alcohol has become the main source for fun in our youth these days. Social gatherings are now considered boring without booze. I believe all this is a result of popular culture. At this day and age, people idolise what they see in movies, T.V, celebrities and reality shows. All these mediums seem to be the benchmark of what's in and whats not. At the moment being out of yur sanity seems to be popular. In every tabloid magazines there are reports of Hollywood celebrities being jailed for D.U.I(driving under the influence). The most controvasial being Paris Hilton's case last year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying people are imitating this, but influencial people like her have a bit of an impact.

Binge drinking results in impared judgement, thus leading to sleeping around, reckless driving and complicated health hazards. All these blemishing and tarnishing our future.

A CHANGE MUST COME

Ukhwelo lityala!!

The invitation

I have started this page to see if there is anyone willing to join me and start a new on-line magazine. I got an offer to start this mag, but the catch is I have to get the youth to paticipate by writing social commentary, voice out their opinions, share their dreams and teach one another. The content is not restricted, one can write about anything, send pictures, paintings, fashion tips just anything one thinks would be interest to the young and hip people out there...

Talk to me
zona88@webmail.co.za

or leave a coment here

Now that you got it!What you gonna do bout it?

Everyday we dream about different things(atleast I do) contemplate plans to make them come true. To some of us it takes a long while to get what you want. But when we eventually do, the excitement somehow wears off. That bringing out the question: Now that you've got it,what do you gonna do bout it?I have always wanted to be a journalist all my life. Now I've got the break to really become the JOURNO, but it's not as rosy as I imagined it would be. Of coarse I knew that it involves going out there and looking for news, but that doesn't interst me anymore. Maybe it's because I work for a small newspaper in a small town. Don't get me wrong,I'm not saying I'm giving up on my dream, but hey if this is what I've been chasing all this time, then I didn't know what exactly I was chasing. I am dedicating my time now to get a clear understanding of my dream.

My Home...Ikhaya lam

With a headline like that, I'm sure u expected one of those cheesy primary compositions, but this is My Own Interpretation of my home.

I'm from Duncan Village, a township in East London, where everyone from the suburbs is scared to go. When I introduce myself, people either say "you don't look like you from there" or jokingly say "please don't stab me" I mean I don't understand why I have to put up with that all the time. This ghetto is the place I have always called home,I grew up here and I went to school. The rate of crime is high I admit, but why should I be judged on where I come from not what I'm capable of. Let me feel you in on my home. I've learnt a lot from my community...there's the funny, the ugly and the bad too, but it's still home. I grew up being annoyed by imigiwu( taxi assistants) those guys wake us up every morning hailing "etowni...or Sbhedlele, Chizlast( meanind Chizelhurst,but hey English is not our mother tongue), Pick'n Pay" They help the taxi driver by counting money and giving out change to commuters. These guys wake up at 4 in the morning, trying to make a living. they try to get as many people as possible, so they can make money and put food on their tables. Now that I'm older I know why they have to sream at their loudest best, it has even become some kind of art to them, they put flavour and style, but hey sometime they even think they're singind a kwaito song. I wouldn't survive a day in their shoes, but they do it well.

To be continued...

Decisions Decisions Decisions

I'm at a stage of my life where I have t make a decision that's going to decide my whole career as a journalist. The question that I have been asking myself the past month is: what do I choose between my financial stability and my passion?. The thing is, as much as we all have our own things we're passionate about in our lives, there's always reallity to look at. How do I survive six month without getting payed, struggling with transport and food, but doing what I've always wanted since I was a child? On the other hand, there's the opportunity to get a comfortable remmunition, but in a field that I'm not too keen on.

Having been telling myself that "na, I'm gonna sleep on it and decide," a month has gone by, days, night and weeks but a decision has not yet been made. I'm fully aware that this is my own decision to make, but tjo! its hard. I also haven't got much time.

This I promise to myself: I'm gonna sleep on it, once again. I'm ready to make a choice

Much love
:-)