“So as a prelude whites must be made to realise that they are only human, not superior. Same with Blacks. They must be made to realise that they are also human, not inferior.” – Steve Biko 1946-1977
The 11th Steve Biko Memorial Lecture was delivered this year by American Alice Walker, best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Colour Purple. The annual lecture is organised by the Steve Biko Foundation and is one of the activities aimed at building on the legacy of Biko, who espoused community development and the restoration of dignity and identity to an oppressed people.
In the sound clip presented above, recorded during apartheid, shortly before Biko’s death, he speaks about the principles of Black Consciousness which formed his political mindset. He said that under apartheid black people suffered a psychological oppression which made them feel inferior. Biko wanted black people to free their minds and elevate themselves. (more…)
Crime has dropped in Khayelitsha by 70%, but do people really feel safe? Photo: Michiel van Balen via Flickr
The government recently released the crime statistics for South Africa as was recorded from April 2009 to May 2010. According to the SAPS incidences of crime have decreased in most categories.
The murder rate dropped with 8.6% and attempted murders occurred 6.1% less.
This could possibly be due to more visible policing in the run up to the 2010 World Cup. It is expected that next year’s figures will be even better, because it will include the stats from the period in which the Soccer World Cup was held in South Africa.
Before the stats were released, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said that the statistics were not meant for “political point scoring”, according to a report by IOL. This should definitely be the case. What matters most is whether people actually feel safe in South Africa.
Recently, when it was revealed that crime in Khayelitsha had been reduced by 70% in the last five years, News24 reported on some political bickering between the DA and the ANC about which party actually was responsible for the reduction. (more…)
A Gugulethu youth discusses some key issues. Photo: Gugulective via Flickr
The youth of Gugulethu are very involved in political and civil society organisations. In fact, the majority of youth participate in development issues in this township situated 15km from Cape Town. This is exceptional in an era where youth are often thought to be apathetic.
The involvement of youth in the community of Gugulethu is largely due to the work of the Gugulethu Youth Development Council (GYDC) which has been operating in the area since 2008.
The Municipal Wards of Gugulethu came together to form a relevant vehicle that will help youth to take active part in development. They looked at the challenges that are faced by today’s youth and established the Council.
The Council members want to see young people of Gugulethu working and going to tertiary institutions. Their goal is to inspire youth to be energetic, passionate, focused and hungry for success.
GYDC is an umbrella organisation that represents youth from different sectors for example Sports, Politics, Arts and Culture, Safety and Security, Social Services, Health, Education and Agriculture, to name a few.
The goal of this organisation is to promote and protect different cultures in Gugulethu. The Council is very committed to this goal; in 2008 they mobilised young people from high schools and primary schools to march against xenophobia.
Ghana proceed to the second round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Photo: Ghana Football Association
Ghana’s football team, the Black Stars, qualified last night for the second round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. While South Africa and other African countries have fallen out of the tournament, African hopes now rest on Ghana to keep the continent’s World Cup dreams alive.
Ghana lost last night when they conceded a goal to Germany, but they had performed well enough in their previous games to advance to the next round. They will play USA on Saturday.
If you are going to support this team, you need to at least know a little about the country. Don’t worry, Creative Consulting & Development Works will quickly clue you up:
Ghana is located in North West Africa, next to Ivory Coast and Togo and its capital is Accra. The country has a population of more than 20 million and there are about 26 different languages spoken in the country.
History and Politics
According to Wikipedia, the word Ghana means “Warrior King” and derives from the Ghana Empire in pre-colonial times. According to BBC.co.uk it was the first place in sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans arrived to trade – first in gold and later in slaves. Ghana became a British colony in 1874, but it also became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve independence in 1957. Kwame Nkrumah was the first president. The current president, John Atta Mills, was elected in 2008.
Economy
Some of Ghana’s major exports are gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, and diamonds. Major off shore oil reserves were discovered in 2007. Ghana is one of the leading exporters of cocoa in the world. According to Ghanaweb.com the country’s economy is dominated by agriculture, which employs about 40 percent of the working population.
Watch a video of President John Atta Mills talking about Ghana’s economy and education system below:
Ghana Outlook, a UK registered charity, with the objectives of supporting education and health through self help projects in rural communities in Ghana.
Ghana Rights and Voice Initiative, which is targeted at strengthening the voices of people living in poverty and who are marginalised to engage with Government on fundamental human rights issues.
Good Work Ghana, a Dutch organisation that organises trips for Dutch volunteers to go do good work in Ghana.
South Africans may be disappointed that Bafana Bafana did not advance to the second round of the World Cup, even though they definitely made the nation proud with the win over France. But South Africans now need to rally behind other teams and still enjoy this spectacular event in our country. Maybe you will support the remaining African team, or maybe you have another favourite. Whoever you choose, continue to go to fan parks and matches and make the visitors in our country feel welcome. Support the South African World Cup!
Photo taken by Anatelle Ford for the Adonis Musati Project.
More than a decade ago, Archbishop Desmond Tutu defined Ubuntu as an ethic which is upheld by someone who has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.’ In short, he described ubuntu as the essence of being human.
But what is the meaning of these words in the face of the mistreatment of refugees in South Africa? In front of the Department of Home Affairs, there are always refugees who have been sleeping on the pavement for days, trying to obtain an asylum seeker’s permit. They are not even allowed to use the building’s toilets and risk losing their place in line when seeking this service elsewhere.
Recently it was said in the news that a lorry reportedly carrying sewerage had sprayed effluent onto hundreds of desperate immigrants young and old at the Methodist Church refugee camp in Johannesburg.
For decades, refugees have been a significant feature of the South African landscape. South Africa has given official recognition to refugees, a move that has been highly appreciated. However, refugees have experienced varying degrees of acceptance or rejection as they strive to make a living in a foreign land.
Photo taken by Anatelle Ford for the Adonis Musati Project
The scenarios presented above and other untold stories, makes one wonder whether the ethics of Ubuntu will remain a political philosophy. Ubuntu calls us to place equal value on all individuals, to raise the voice of those who otherwise cannot do it for themselves. It defines what it really means to be a human being.
The Adonis Musati Project, for one, believes in the spirit of Ubuntu. Named after a young Zimbabwean who died of starvation on the streets of Cape Town, this organisation aims to support refugees in their endeavours to make a life for themselves.
Creative Consulting & Development Works is a research, evaluation and communications consultancy, servicing nonprofits, government and funders with innovative solutions in a development context.
On our blog, Development Talks, we discuss politics and social development. We are interested in the impact of politics on the ordinary citizen and the political activities of those on the ground.
