While reading one of my philosophy books a few weeks back I came across a thinker who stated that “something is only good if it is used for the purpose that it was designed for and if it does so well?” This statement took my focus off the book and steered me in the direction of personal and somewhat critical reflection my life’s journey. Before I could reflect however, I had to figure out a practical example that would help me understand this statement. Having a piece of paper next to me at the time, I asked “what is the purpose of this piece of paper?” and the obvious answer was - to write on. It is a good piece of paper because I can write on it. Then I asked myself, “is it therefore bad piece of paper if I fold this paper into the design of a jet and see how far it will fly?” to which I answered no – even though I am not writing on it, there will be some entertainment in doing so which would bring good into my life (even for only a few minutes) as I would experience brief joy of making the jet fly.

 

Having an idea that the above statement is questionable, I applied the statement to my life and asked “is my life only good if it is used for the purpose for which it was designed?” which left me with more questions than answers.

·         Who decides what the purpose of my life is?

·         How do I, or will I ever know if that purpose is achieved?

·         Are all human purposes the same, and how is my purpose different from the next persons?

As I noticed earlier with the paper example, it will be very difficult to find clear and definite answer to such a complex philosophical question. The questions that we can answer without too much confusion are the more simple and logical ones, and in pursuit of answering the question as to what is the journey of my life, I asked the questions that resulted from my original more complex question.

Who decides what the purpose of my life is? Quite simply - I do! As a free thinking, rational individual, I am the one who needs to say what the purpose of my life is by looking at what drives me forward. Those driving forces cannot come from anyone else but myself…..and taking that further, it is me who needs to ensure that my purpose is fulfilled.

How do I, or will I ever know if that purpose is achieved? Yes (or at least I hope so)! I feel that knowing the purpose, the sense of achieving the purpose will create happiness which will provide a feeling or knowledge that “I have achieved my purpose”. The question as to how long that feeling of achievement will take is entirely dependent on the purpose.

 

The question of, are all human purposes the same, and how is my purpose different from the next person, is a question that I feel I could possibly conclude with (without providing a final answer as that too is a near impossible task). “Are all human purposes the same?”, for me, NO!.......and “how is my purpose different from the next person”, well that I do not know but figure that is perhaps what the journey of life to be about. We who were given freedom, rationality and an opinion need to find our own individual purposes, hold onto them with much might and ensure that we find happiness in achieving that purpose.

In saying this, the journey of life for me is finding a purpose and working to achieve it. That purpose is up to each of us to find…

17^th April 2012 after a long day at campus, the SAWIP dialogue topic was about BEE. And I thought “oh no not again this topic, this man is again here to tell us why we should support BEE”. I thought I knew everything about BEE; my final undergraduate entrepreneurship module submission was on BEE.

Mr. Graeme Dorington within two hours quickly switched on some light bulbs and showed how the BEE 10 year goal is suppose to be working. The truth was brought to the table and my anger subsided, I finally understood that BEE is meant to benefit all people of colour; such a pity more people are not educated about the basics of BEE and the measurement score card. The way I viewed BEE for starters has changed so much, I wish what I now know I could track back to a year ago when I wrote my major entrepreneur essay based on BEE. I was tunnel visioned and miss-informed, washed away by media talks, but fortunately thanks to Mr. Dorington I am able to see the bigger picture of BEE. My desire is to see this BEE program in full operation in South Africa. I may not be going into the business world with immediate effect, but I will be entering the rewarding field of education soon. I now aim to use the knowledge I have gained from the BEE discussion and further research into incorporating it into my economic classes that will run for 7 weeks. I want to make my learners BEE wise and I want them to challenge their parents on this topic and educate their parents on the purpose, the truth and operation that BEE takes.

I think BEE is an amazing programme in South Africa that is truly beneficial to ALL South Africans. From equal job opportunities, skills development; empowerment, ownership; partnership BEE really seeks to improve ALL of these challenges South Africans are faced with daily.

It is time we mobilize the essence of BEE and we start looking at the positive of ever situation, instead of allowing the media to bombard us with their ideas and what they want us to believe. I feel our Finance Minister Praveen Gordan and his team needs to assist us strongly, enforcing the BEE program in every company; so that together we can grow and develop our country.

This week I have very little time to write, as I start my exams on Monday and this first week will be my toughest. I would, however, like to share a quick thought.

 

This past semester I have had the privilege to take a course in Developmental Economics under Professor Servaas van der Berg. Prof. Van der Berg truly is one of those (numerous) unsung heroes of the New South Africa. He is regarded as one of South Africa's leading experts (if not the-) in the field of social development, and particularly education. Rumor has it that Trevor Manuel once introduced him as "Comrade Researcher" in the light of his contributions to shaping South African's social assistance programs.

 

One thing that I feel quite strongly about, coming out of this course, is that there are some serious misconceptions 'out there' regarding the role that the South African government has played in poverty alleviation. I recently finished an essay for Prof. Van der Berg's course that I would like to share with you. I must note that it has not been graded yet, so, as with any written work, there may be errors and you should not take everything for the absolute truth.

 

I will share the introduction and conclusion here, and provide a link to the entire essay for if you feel prompted to read. It's broken up into easily navigable sections, so you should be able to easily skip over the bits that bore you.

 

Introduction

The Constitution of the Republic of South African states the following in its bill of rights:

 

“Everyone has the right to have access to... social security, including, if theyare unable to

support themselves and their dependants, appropriate socialassistance”.

 

This right to access has been central to the South African governments’ social policy since the transition to democracy. Chu and Hemming (1991) classify social security as spendingon "the public provision of health, education, housing, and other social services". In all theseareas the South African government has excelled in shifting fiscal and even real resource tothe poor. Great strides have been made in alleviating extreme poverty and improving the living standards of the poor, yet many challenges remain. This essay provides a brief overview of social spending in South Africa since the transition to democracy, and tries tofocus on the impact that this has had on the poor.

 

For the rest of the essay, find it here: http://carelkleynhans.com/South_African_social_spending.pdf

 

Conclusion

 

Social security is a constitutional right in South Africa, and since the transition todemocracy government has shown their commitment to fulfil their duty to uphold this right. South Africa has one of the largest social spending programs among developing countries,and well-targeted social grants have substantially reduced money metric poverty for itsresidents. Increased social spending has, however, not been mirrored by equal improvements in social outcomes. Inefficiency and mismanagement continue to hamper governments’ ability to translate spending into service delivery. While it is true that social spending may cause unfavourable demographic trends and present opportunity costs, South Africa has not yet reached a level of development where these effects are significant. In the light of current international phenomena, however, there seems to be increased need for perceptive long term social policy planning. In its most recent budget, government seems to acknowledge that capacity to further increase social spending is limited, and an emphasis shift from transfers to investment can be seen in its planning. The combination of smart investment and a continued commitment to improving efficiency in social spending is what is needed to provide all South Africans with their constitutional rights. Only then will the poor be in aposition to climb onto the self-improvement ladder and access their rights to not only social security, but also opportunity.

 

Exams beckon :)

C

 

I am taking a well calculated guess and will say that when I first saw the words;

“The struggle continues

Freedom is coming tomorrow”

the only significance that I placed on the words were along the lines of being a fitting end to one of my favourite movies of all time.

For those of you thinking... “What movie?”

Remember Sarafina?

 

(Sarafina full movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRaFRCAPWJk&feature=related)

If you were fortunate enough to have watched Sarafina, I sincerely plead that you take a moment and think back to whether or not you placed any significance to those words?

If you have not yet watched the movie let’s just say you had to read those words on a massive bill board, what significance would you place on the words;

“The struggle continues

Freedom is coming tomorrow”

Would you carry on along your merry way? Would you stop?

Would the words capture you into deep emotions or thoughts?

Here we are, 20 years later and the words highlighted in the closing scene of Sarafina for obvious reasons have not changed but I certainly have.

This is not just due to 'clocking up mileage' in the journey of life but primarily because the notion of freedom is entrenched in my being totally differently in comparison to the characters of the film.

Unlike in the closing scene of Sarafina I was fortunate enough to not have to consciously and physically wait for “freedom” to come. My earliest and vivid memory of Nelson Mandela is at the Final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

(Sarafina closing scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQwifgTxNTw )

Be that as it may freedom is still coming. That is because we have not yet achieved freedom socially and economically. We are currently a very unequal nation and thus it cannot be said with conviction that we have achieved freedom.

 

The hard truth of the matter is that until we do “The Struggle Continues and Freedom is Coming Tomorrow”.

The struggle continues and that is why for me Freedom Day should be celebrated with a pinch …or two of salt.

Freedom Day not only symbolises the birth of our Rainbow Nation but it also reminds us of the need to collectively uphold the principles and values enshrined in our Constitution.

It is a day dedicated to acknowledging and appreciating all those who have left their footprints in pursuit of building a united and proud nation.

In my reflections on freedom the words of Nelson Mandela always come to mind, when he said:

"To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."

 

 

 

One of the first sessions that the SAWIP team attended was at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation. This dialogue was very informative but left me having a sleepless night as my brain could not stop trying to find the answer to the question “what is active citizenship?” Till today I cannot provide a concrete answer, but I think all my questioning is getting me closer.

Reflecting on the dialogue and pursuing an answer, this is where I am:

 

 

What is the definition of active citizenship? To be honest, I do not know.

What are the roles of an active citizen? That too I cannot state with much confidence purely because roles change from day to day all depending on circumstance and relevance to situations. What does seem clear to me however is that active citizens all have common traits; these traits are the foundations as well as the structural pillars to what an active citizen builds their actions on.

 

 

Not having a clear definition of active citizenship but knowing that active citizens’ all share common traits, one needs to ask “what are these traits that make active citizens – active citizens?” For me these traits that active citizens share are:

                - Responsibility

                - Ability to make a choice

                - Caring

                - Informed about reality

                - Know who they are and what they can do to bring about change.

- Understand their importance and what they can do to realize change

                - Have a perspective

                - Have a common Vision

                - Awareness

                - Willing to participate

                - Willing to make a contribution

- and most importantly, they are the best version of themselves when working   with and for others.

 

 

Without saying that the following is the answer to the question posed earlier, I think that mentioning all of these traits steers me to a point where I can conclude in saying that an active citizen is someone who steps out of ignorance and makes a conscious decision to bring about change, not just any change, positive change. It also seems critical that active citizens know who they are and know what change they want to influence.

 

 

With this reflection, I challenge everyone to ask themselves “who am I?” and “what change am ‘I’ going to influence today?”

Sometimes words escape me. It seems as if I cannot find the words to best explain my thoughts, ideas and feelings. I am fortunate to have found poetry. It is my outlet to try make sense of it all. Below is my first SAWIP poem, it was inspired by nature and people.

Worker ants as active citizens

Everyone stares at the big elephant in the room

They know that it cannot be moved single-handedly

The task seems overwhelmingly insurmountable

Clouds of uncertainty should not cast a shadow of doubt

 

The elephant is not a mountain; therefore, it can be moved

The vision is clear

Plans are made and a model is developed

A strategy is in place

 

Seasons change. It has always been a dynamic equilibrium

Elastic flexibility in the master plan was in place

Autumn winds and frostbite winter

Arab Spring and summer harvests

 

The silence is breaking

(I fail to understand why is was golden)

We are recruiting for worker ants

We are in the business of fostering symbiotic relationships

 

We will eat the elephant one bite at a time

Rumour has it it’s the best way to right the wrongs

Slowly, surely, trusting worker ants get to work

Together everyone accomplishes more

 

Hi there

My name is Shannon and this is my first blog. Up to this point I’ve been procrastinating writing my blog simply because of the enormous expectation I felt pushing down on me.  However I’ve decided to take a different approach to blogging and do a three part piece on my experience on this programme and how I have come to view a lot of the challengers I went through as a child and teenager, from an objective point of view. First, allow me to share a little on my history. I was born and raised in the heart of the Cape flats (Clark Estate, Elsies River) and grew up in poverty, drugs and gansgterism. The only talent I thought I had at the time was being verbally active through profanity.  When I was 8 years old my parents decided to move out of Elsies River to Kuils River where things were mildly better.  Here I still exercised my verbal talent against the teachers and obviously landed me in the principal’s office many times.  I never cared for school or education for that matter.  I never cared to work hard or do my home work, because what was the point? I wasn’t going to get far in life anyway. My family was poor, I have no role model and I don’t know anyone who finished school and did something with their life. So what’s the point really?

This was the mentality I had from as soon as grade R until grade 10 and it seemed to me nothing could break that mentality.  How I got as far as grade 10 I surely do not know, your guess is as good as mine. But there I was in one of the worst schools in our district, because I couldn’t get into a good high school for obvious reasons.  I was thrown into a so called new school with 300 other teenagers who were in the same boat as me.  So there we were the bunch that couldn’t get into a good high school, all in the same place (not the education department’s brightest idea, but something needed to be done).  From here on one can only imagine the chaos that was unleashed on this school. Havoc and mayhem was the order of the day.  And after 4 years few of us graduated as the first Metrics of Kuils River Technical High with a 97% pass rate. But those were the good times, maybe the best times and I like to think I was privileged to have gone through such a unique schooling career, privileged not in the traditional sense.

But all of this obviously had a huge impact on my skill set and development as a young South-African.  I quickly realised I had a huge gap and backlog in my education compared to other students my age.  However, a paradigm shift which occurred in the middle of grade 10 changed my entire outlook on life.  This vary paradigm shift took me from an F Maths student to an A in just a few months.  And from thereon I set goals for myself to go to University and make something of myself.  Here I am today almost 6 years down the line and the life I had back then seem like a bad dream that I woke up from and forgot.  But I didn’t forget, in fact I remember all too well.  SAWIP has truly made me reflect so hard and critically on my past that it all came back to me in wave of memories.  Attending the workshops, events and outings, each had an enormous resonance with my past.  All of these events left me feeling so enlightened and provoked more questions, personal questions, in me then ever before.  I quickly realised as I did a few years ago that I have a huge backlog in what I know about what is going on around me.

This of course led me to asking myself “Why am I so behind on information?” Why don’t I have more knowledge on this or that?” And why can’t I give a valuable input?”  It was only pondering these questions for days that it occurred to me that I was never on the outside, viewing and analysing most of the pressing issues and challengers facing our country, I was on the inside, smack in the middle and going through it all. So much so, that there wasn’t time to sit back and analyse the situation.  We just had to survive and survival was all there was to it.

Of course being where I am today and part of this amazing programme I have come to realise the wonderful predisposition I have, and the wonderful people who has gone through some of the most difficult challengers common to almost all South Africans today. I began to feel like I belong, not just because of my past, but also because of the common vision and like-mindedness we all share.  And I actually have had time, lots of time to sit back and analyse the challengers I grew up in and although this isn’t the first reflection on my life and my past, it’s the first time I have had to critically reflect and write an objective opinion about it.  I’m not good at being objective in some of the challengers we have discussed over the past two moths, simply because I went through most of it. But this is certainly something I am learning to do through this platform.

One of the most inspiring influences thus far has certainly been the township tour to Gugulethu, Langa and Khayelitsha.  Meeting the two phenomenal women, Mama Vivian from the Iliso Care Society and Mama Vicky who owns a flourishing bed and breakfast in Khayelitsha.  What was most striking to me was not just the success of these initiatives, but the amazing ripple effect it is having on the community and especially the children.  I remember watching the children play in the street and being taken back to my childhood years.  Although I didn’t grow up in Khayelitsha the atmosphere and games the children played was exactly the same as ours in the Cape flats.  This again affirmed to me how much we have in common as South-Africans regardless of race or colour.  What was more striking was hearing what Mum Vivian is doing at the Iliso Care Society and how this is having a profound impact on the lives of these kids, a paradigm shift in their minds.  A shift from thinking “This is all we know.” to “There are so many wonderful people and opportunities out there.”  This simple act of active citizenship from a caring individual is revolutionising the minds of the young and revolutionising South-Africa in the process.

I believe it is these small acts of  active citizenship which will transform South-Africa into the glorious country it needs to be, because these small acts have a everlasting impact on the lives of the people and especially children it comes into contact with.  It’s not so much just solving the current challengers of our country, but to make sure the next generation does not inherit the same mind-set that caused these challengers to arise in the first place.  This is the true meaning of transformation, not forgetting our past, but investing and nurturing a new mentality in all South-Africans and with it a true sense of pride for our Democracy and Constitution.

A wise man once told me there are three things that will change your life; the people you meet, the stories you hear and the books you read.  SAWIP has found a way to integrate all of these into one phenomenal programme and change the lives of the team of 2012, as it has for many before us.

Thank you SAWIP and God bless all you amazing people who made all of this possible.

 

 

When I first heard about Brand South Africa, I asked myself, what brand? Is South Africa a brand? Whose brand is it- who is responsible for this brand?

With an excellent speaker, Leo Makgamathe, who is a Program manager of Civil Society of Brand South Africa, the 2012 SAWIP Team yesterday had a dialogue about South Africa as a brand. And through the questions above, I will share my thoughts on the dialogue. But before I do so, let me tell a bit about Brand South Africa: Brand South Africa is an organisation established in 2002 and one whose sole purpose is to create a positive and compelling brand image of South Africa. Two key focus areas of the organization are tourism and investment, which are two of the key drivers of gross domestic product of the country.

As tradition, before any SAWIP dialogue or workshop, us SAWIPers have to do some readings on the topic of the day in order to have deeper knowledge about the topic and to participate effectively in the talks. With great love for reading and knowledge, I dug deep into the web to find as much information about Brand South Africa as i possibly could.  While reading through many websites and reports, I was surprised and embarrassed at the same time, when I realized how little I know about the great things about South Africa. At the dialogue, I was even more surprised to hear other great successes of our country, such as that we are rated 36 by Anholt-GFK Roper Nation Brand Index and that we are rated 1st in the world for regulation of securities exchanges. The reason for my surprise was that many times we only hear about the negative stories about South Africa and we tend to think of it as not being a great country.

In sharing my thoughts about the brand South Africa, I would like to first look at the meaning of a brand. According to Phillip Kotler, a brand is a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of these that distinguishes and differentiates a product or service from other sellers. In South Africa’s case, our brand that differentiates us from other countries is our beautiful flag, which by the way is the third most recognised flag in the world! And also Brand South Africa’s (new) slogan “South Africa: Inspiring New Ways”. Also significant to a brand are the people that represent it i.e. the citizens of the country.

On the question now of whether South Africa is a brand? I know that the answer is a straight “yes”. But a concern I have is that I wonder how many people in our country know and perceive South Africa as a brand? For Brand South Africa to effectively promote our country internationally and to promote it with full confidence, we as South Africans need to perceive our country as a valuable brand, be patriots and be aware that our individual actions make up the image that international markets have of our country. Brand South Africa cannot sell our country to other people, if we South Africans do not ‘buy-in’ to our own story. And in my opinion, a brand can never achieve great success, unless the people who represent it perceive it as valuable.

As mentioned before, Brand South Africa is responsible for strategically marketing our country to the international market. But quite importantly, we as the people of South Africa need to fully recognize our responsibility in promoting our country. Representing a population of more than 50 million, Brand South Africa cannot do the job of promoting our country all on its own. We as the people need to take some responsibility in promoting a positive and honest South African image to the rest of the world. This may sound like a difficult task, but it actually is not. Each of us, whether from rural or urban area, have a beautiful story to tell about our country, and at every chance, we should share this beautiful story with visitors who come to South Africa.

In thinking that every one of us has a role to play in marketing our country, I am also aware of some of the great challenges of poverty, unemployment, inequality and crime facing the country. A person who is unemployed, living in poverty and who perceive the country to have great inequality might have very little motivation to speak about South Africa in a positive light. Crime on the other hand contributes negatively to promoting a good South Africa image, and this may be a difficult hurdle to overcome, for both Brand South Africa and ordinary people, when promoting and sharing the South African story.

Also, what we as the people should all be aware of is that in promoting South Africa, we are not only contributing to an international positive image of our country, but we are also contributing to attracting investment, which in turn can help overcome some of the country’s key challenges.

Let us all contribute to marketing South Africa to the international market by sharing our positive and honest South African story. No one can tell the South African story better than its people. By doing a simple but yet powerful thing such as sharing our story, we will be taking an active role in promoting our country to the rest of the world. Having spoken about the South African story, now I would like to end with a question, what is your positive and honest South African story?

Today is Freedom Day in South Africa, a public holiday that commemorates the first democratic election held on April 27, 1994. This photo essay tries to capture 'an angle' of the South African story, recognising that this story can be told in a number of different ways.  

 

 

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. His crime was 

demanding freedom for his people.  

 

 

People waiting in anticipation for Mandela's release.  

 

 

On February 11, 1990, Mandela walks free...

 

 

Mandela with then-President FW de Klerk. Negotiations for a transition to democracy

is in full swing.

 

 

Ballot paper for the first democratic election of 1994.

 

 

18 years ago today, on April 27, 1994, millions of South Africans lined up to 

participate in the election.

 

 

People of all races and creeds waiting to exercise their right to choose

their own government.

 

 

An elderly voter, who waited a lifetime for this historic moment...

 

 

Newly elected President Mandela with two Deputy Presidents, Thabo Mbeki and FW de Klerk. 

Together they formed the Government of National Unity. 

 

 

An iconic image of Mandela congratulating the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning captain

Francois Pienaar.

 

 

Johannesburg in the night time. The new South Africa achieved significant

economic growth.

 

 

South Africa becomes the first African country to host the 2010

FIFA World Cup.

 

 

The World Cup was a massive festival enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

 

 

The scenic Green Point stadium in Cape Town, where several world cup matches were held.

 

 

Although South Africa has achieved political freedom, and tremendous progress has been

made in terms of delivering basic services to millions of people, many South Africans still

suffer from poverty and socio-economic inequalities. This is the biggest challenge facing

the new South Africa.

 

 

 

Music Cures the Common Cold.

Yesterday I spoke in front of 30 people. Far from a large number but a number nonetheless, because sometimes you have to take what you can get. I remember while I was writing up my speech earlier in the day, I thought this could be either terribly ironic or extremely powerful if done right. I wanted to speak about student apathy, particularly student apathy in my institution.

Clearly, speaking in front of 30 people (which is a tiny drop from an expected crowd of 200) made the entire planned speech slightly ironic. In the moment, I decided to trash the speech and compare student apathy to the common cold. I started explaining how it spreads quickly and spreads without remorse. Infecting all those who come across its path with such ease and arrogance. It is passed on from person to person quite easily. In fact, you do not even have to touch a person to become infected. That person’s mere presence with the cold can leave an imprint on you.

Student apathy is like the common cold because even though most people know it is miserable, nothing of use will be gained from it and should be dealt with before it gets worse. Most people are willing to wait it out than to engage with it. Leave it be because it is going to be gone in a day or two anyway.Student apathy behaves just like the common cold. Infecting and spreading with most people deciding that it’s easier to deal with it than to tackle it head on. Instead of protecting yourself with any army of Pando’s, Disprins or Grandpa’s we ignore the problem and let it slide. Accept our fate and the hand dealt to us by society.

While speaking to the students about student apathy I noticed something quite profound. Instead of the yawns and sighs, I was expecting; they were listening. Not just listening but paying attention to every word that I was saying (or babbling depending on whose side of the fence you are on). I felt like the conductor of the orchestra swaying them left and right mentioning a phrase and watching them get excited. Moving my subject matter into the depths of my Apartheid knowledge, I lowered the tone of the room to a sombre harmony as I dealt with civil society’s rebellion against the system. How students should be able to mimic and ever better the civil movement of the 1980’s. When the symphony had died down and the violins had been packed away; trombones stored for the next chance to engage with people...the world ready to come back to the state it was in before the commotion. There was no applause, cheers, roses thrown onto the stage. There was no call for an encore from the crowd. All that was left behind once the music had gone were those same 30 people sitting in silence. As I took my seat and let the meeting continue. I felt pleased with what I had achieved. The message had been passed on. 30 people heard what I had to say and there was not a single sniffle to be heard from the crowd. No sneezing, coughing or heaving. The only sound coming from the room where the sounds of people tapping their feet to a beat.

There are certain choices that I have made in my life that when I think back to have sincerely been life changing. In retrospect, the process of making these decisions stirred all sorts of emotions within me. They caused me to feel great excitement for the incredible possibilities that lay ahead, a sense of being overwhelmed and a tad bit of anxiety of the unknown. For all such choices in my life, I have spent some time quietly contemplating the impact that my decisions would have not only on myself, but also on my family, closest friends and communities. One such decision that I made in High School was to continue with my studies to broaden my knowledge, skills and perspective by attending University.

 

I am a first generation student. This means that I am the first in my nuclear family to attend University. Leaving home to attend University in a small town approximately 18 hours drive away from my family was a difficult, but necessary decision. Although there were adjustments and sacrifices that had to be made, we made the necessary changes to adapt. I am privileged to have a wonderfully supportive family. Throughout my University career, I have been faced with some easy, and at times, less-easy choices. I believe that I have undertaken many decisions with a great sense of caution and careful consideration. I view reflection as an integral element that guides me in major life choices. At the start of 2012, I had to re-assess my life and make decisions accordingly.

 

The decision to apply for SAWIP is another example of a life changing choice in my life. I was drawn by the level of introspection that was required in completing the application forms. The process allowed me critically think about who I am and where I am growing and going towards. I had to ask myself probing questions to properly assess my state of being. During the SAWIP selection camp, I felt incredibly inspired by the soaring calibre of young leaders in our country. I was particularly encouraged by the personal stories that were shared. As a people, we constantly need to adapt to the challenges that we face in our lives. At times, changes in our lives require some sacrifice and great flexibility. Story telling is a valuable tool that can be used in getting to know people. Through stories, I have learnt of the humble spirit of selflessness that people have. With that, a common trend that I have observed in people is that of an attitude of remaining firmly grounded in their morals and beliefs system. I admire such characteristics.

 

As part of our SAWIP leadership development curriculum, we have had discussions on matters that have required elements of radical transformation. We spoke of and spoke to active citizens. Individuals like Vicky Ntozini and Vivian Zilo showed personal initiative and courageous commitment to make the necessary changes in their lives to make significant contributions to their communities. The spirit of selflessness and servant leadership that these women have shown to their families and communities inspires me. During our talk with Adv. Keith Matthee, it became apparent just how necessary we need to hold each other accountable on delivering on the promises laid out in Our Constitution.

 

To the SAWIP Class of 2012, I hope that this journey will continue to inspire us all as we grow through change in respect, in service, in loving kindness and ethical leadership.

 

When I applied for SAWIP, I was well aware of the magnitude of the program, the sense of responsibility that comes with it, and of course, the scope for personal growth. But some of my SAWIP experiences have also been different to what I initially expected. For example, I didn’t expect such a strong and supportive family environment. I didn’t think that I will question my views so often. I didn’t think that I will meet so many inspiring young people driven by the idea of a better South Africa for all. I can only be grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity. I feel honoured, privileged, and ready to begin this journey.  

 

I am also excited. When you read the bios of SAWIP 2012 team members on this website, you may think we are a 'team of stars' (if you are so kind). But when you see us in action, you will realise that we are more of a ‘star team’. Last night, when looking at the entire SAWIP program, I was thinking, “This program, although extremely exciting, is intensive. It will require of us to not only give our best, but may even push us to the edge of our abilities. There are challenges that lie ahead. There will be responsibilities that we must fulfill under severe time constraints. How will we respond to those challenges? How will we rise to the occasions?” 

 

Although I have only known my teammates for over a month, I wasn’t fazed by those questions. I thought…

 

I know Daniel will always remain calm under pressure.

I know Nondu’s open-mindedness will expose us to endless possibilities. 

I know Kwadwo can articulate even the most complex of ideas.

I know Carel’s innovative thinking will take us to the next level.

I know Phiwe’s genuineness will make us reflect, and remain accountable to ourselves.

I know Makhosazana will listen – a special ability we often underestimate.

I know Jason will embody servant leadership in any situation, and extend his help.

I know Thamsanqa will always prepare 120%.
I know Edyth will be resourceful even when we have ran out of ideas.

I know Shannon will push himself beyond his limits.

I know Parveen will accomplish whatever task she has set her mind on.

I know Zola will never give up.  

I know Allie will ask the most probing questions, and keep our feet on the ground.

I know Kgotsi can sum up all the different views in a room, and come up with a coherent argument for everyone to follow… 

 

I only wrote about the qualities that first came to my mind. In reality, we are multi-talented, and hope to learn and grow a lot more from the SAWIP experience. I feel blessed to be part of this team. We are young and full of energy. We know the complex socio-political and economic problems faced by the people of South Africa. But I am also certain that the SAWIP journey will inspire us to tackle those challenges with an uncompromising clarity of vision, unity of purpose, and solidarity with our people.  

Hi, I'm Carel.

 

I'm part of the SAWIP 2012 team, and this is my first blog post.

 

When I first heard about SAWIP the idea of a program of its nature really appealed to me. I have been looking for a platform from which I could contribute more significantly to the country that I love and believe in, and SAWIP seemed to fit the bill perfectly. (And yes, there was of course the added allure of spending 6 weeks in Washington DC).

 

I sit here, however, amazed at how little I knew about what I was getting myself into when I was filling in my application form (all 8000 words of it). The application process, interview, selection camp, that fantastic phone call from Kim, the orientation camp and our first curriculum event at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation in Cape Town last night have all far exceeded my wildest expectations.

 

Firstly I would like to commend the SAWIP team and Alumni for their effort and excellence throughout the selection process. One could really sense the attention to detail and care that was taken to choose the right team. And I must say, I feel privileged to be a part of this team. I've known them less than 5 days in aggregate, and already they have had a major impact on the way I perceive myself, my country and my place in this country. And then there is the surprise of the curriculum that Kim and Brian matter of factly presented to us at the orientation camp. I do not mean to imply that I was not expecting a challenging program - that's one of the reasons I signed up - but I think it is safe to say that the whole team was slightly shell shocked to see just how busy we wore going to be in the next 8 weeks leading up to Washington. From what I can make out from the program we have received, however, there is only reason for us to be very, Very excited.

 

As I mentioned, we had our first curriculum event last night. As I understand it was the first of many SAWIP dialogue sessions to be held in Cape Town, with the theme of this one being Active Citizenship. I won't say much about the contents of the discussion, as I suspect the topic will be covered in detail by other team members writing about it very soon (watch this space). I will rather leave you with the following quote that I feel touches on some of the stories and sentiments shared last night:

 

"No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts off from its youth severs its lifeline." - Kofi Annan

To that I say, "let's go".

 

 

 

 

On the 9th of August a friend of mine posted a message saying 'happy women's day, to all the beautiful sisters in South Africa, go spoil yourself today, relax and enjoy'. This status made me ponder at what women's day has come to mean in South Africa. I have always felt discomforted when I would have to responding to these “happy women’s day” wishes being thrown at me. I fear I might start sounding like a pessimist but I ask what should we as women be happy about?

Should we be happy that the stats show that more than 500.000 rapes are committed annually in South Africa? Perhaps what we should be celebrating is the facts that a recent study by Interpol show, every 17 sec a woman is raped. Maybe we ought to rejoice at facts estimating that 1 in 2 women will be raped or moreover the chilling reports that estimates that ‘a woman born in South Africa has a greater chance of being raped than learning how to read’, I hope not.

I hope this is not what the generation after's 1956 women thinks women’s day is all about, pampering ourselves. When we commemorate the 9th of August what should always remain in our minds is the work of the women of '56, women that decided to take it upon themselves to fight the injustices of that time, to make sure that women would not be subjected to inhumane treatments by government. I am sorely sadden by what my generation is doing currently with issues facing women. nothing. This generation has become complacent, thinking that if it not my problem then it's not a problem. This country needs women that will work towards fulfilling the MDGoals especial goal3. Women that will not seat and watch when the stats shows that up to 70 per cent of women experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime and the majority by husbands, intimate partners or someone they know. Women who's core being will react when reports report that 113 million children are out of school in Africa. Women that will shudder when they hear that South Africa is one the countries named by the UN as serving as a transit or a destination for Human trafficking.

As women we shouldn't wait for the month of August to have programs running that addresses inequality in the workplace, schools and homes. As women, when the 9 of August comes we should be already busy hands-on involved in organisations that serve to better the lives of women. we need women that will organizing movement that address gender based violence, movements that empower women. This country's rich history of women who fought against inequality amongst other things should inspire us to be women that refused to be silent and be pushed to the margins of South Africa. Birthing of a radical movement that will say ‘ wa thintu mfazi wa thintibokodo’ and truly embody that phrase is needed and to those that are already knee and hands deep doing their part in addressing these problem. Ndinithulela umqwazi.

 

 

I have become product of my environment in so far as my environment has become a product of me. To say this to you is as saying it to me - notwithstanding the less than obvious soliloquy, such is the truth and absolute nature of agency.

 

Democracy  =  ''DEMOCRAZY''!!

 

As the challenges of the week subsided, and by week two, I was coping well with the metro, directions and my internship! This week the theme was Democracy and we as the SAWIP team was fully hyped up that we could experience and learn what democracy meant in different aspects, versions and developments.

We had a thought provoking panel discussion with IDASA on Monday night, experts in the field, Eric Robinson (National Endowment for Democracy), Jon Elliot (Human Rights Watch) and Dr. Chloe Schwenke (Africa Bureau of USAID) gave us a brief idea of the work they do and how democracy as evolved.

As a law student I found myself thinking about how different ideologies create and shape democracy in a country. Africa as a continent is still trying to understand the notion of democracy and it has become a proven systematic means to ensure that countries rights and responsibility is vested in a sound democracy. However throughout the years one still reads and finds that democracy has become a faraway notion and is developing at a slow pace. My idea of democracy is founded in our constitution. A humanitarian and breath-taking piece of legislation which captures the true essence of our plight for human rights, and Ubuntu! Emulating South Africa’s legislation would in my opinion be a stepping stone in assuring a democracy. Africa has for too long depended on the United Nations, and other independent bodies to ensure peace, stability and democracy in their countries.

With our post-apartheid and newly found democracy…I think our country has become complacent. Our leaders have had democracy for 17 years, and a constitution which protects promotes and enshrines humanity, yet we still have inequality, poverty, and corruption. We as a society don’t defend our democracy with the will our parents, leaders and the previous youth do! We have forgotten how people died to have our rights protected, how the right to vote is a privilege which many did not experience two decades ago; how the levels of poverty, illiteracy and corruption continues to slap the  idea of ‘ubuntu’ in its face!

I called this blog DemoCRAZY, because with all our freedoms, we have forgotten to tend to those in need. THIS IS PURE MADNESS, taking into account the plight of people to ensure our rights and dignity! The systematic change our parents and forefathers struggled for was to ensure a healthy South Africa and a DEMOCRATIC change! Currently our society as gone CRAZY! With the democracy we possess, instead of uniting for policy change, economic growth, and sustainability, there is blatant racism, an increase in inequality and a continuation of focusing on the past and not the present! This is crazy, as we live in a country that is rich with diversity and fertility! As a young hopeful I want to shape our demoCRAZY into an ubuntu loving and diverse DEMOCRACY!

SAWIP continues to invoke thought provoking panel discussions, and as we strive for growth in Democracy, we are encouraged to hash out the problems and overcome the challenges ahead!

“They grow not old, as we who are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the setting of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”

D.C=Destination Commenced!

 

It’s been a turbulent week, and I’m happy to add, I’m o my way to The District of Columbia! Last South African blogs always feel so final. As I feel the hype of the SAWIP guys, and the intense planning we have to do, I could only be excited 2DAYS before we left, exams, and some wonderful leadership events made any time to get excited very limited! That meant I had 2 days to pack, get all my money and shopping in check…By the way, finding an adapter for the states…a really odd job!

 

A Pre D.C task that I found enriching was that we all had to find sponsorship and work our way through our financial obligations, I found my experience opened doors at my university that were unknown to me. The University of the Western Cape, has been perceived as a university on the rise, with more than 18000 students, our little piece of heaven is situated amongst nature and wild life, capturing the essence of the Western Cape. I learned that this institution was willing and able to move, shift, break and tear down any door you need to go through to reach your potential. As I packed, I can truly say, my university with its rich sense of justice, community spirit and OPEN DOOR policy, gave me the confidence to aspire to be a great leader.

 

So the trip to D.C was set, all that left me with was many goodbyes which would eventually lead to some/many tears! The foundation of a soul is found in one’s growth, I personally feel my growth stems from my family. This was a set of people chosen by God to be my pillars and root me in the right directions. Everything I have accomplished, and aspire to be is linked to their belief in me.

Thank you to everyone who work hard, slept late, and tolerated our schedules to allow us to learn, grow, and experience some of the most thought provoking events I have ever been to. After selection camp, we as a group are finally norming and growing. This would not be possible without a great team in South Africa and Washington. The impact of SAWIP D.C on my life is still pending, however, the SAWIP South Africa experience, has created a hunger to learn, and absorb as much as I can! Thank you,  Dankie and Enkosi Kakulu SAWIP management team 2011.

 

As my blog is called D.C-which really means to me, DESTINATION COMMENCED…I’m leaving South Africa, to COMMENCE my  DICTRICT OF COLUMBIA experience.  Like they say in AMERICA…SEE YALL on the other sideJ

It certainly is nothing like what I have experienced before, as I found myself in a first world country for only the second time in my life.

The greatest gift that one can grant another being is one that is purely intangible. I sat in church once, and the preacher said, “The real measure of your wealth is how much you would be worth if you lost all your money”, the certainty of that statement resonated only upon the end of my community service hours at Al Noor (meaning a place of light) Orphanage Center.

 

This part of my journey on SAWIP left me with a few questions, does servant leadership have to be delicately placed into a box to be defined? Or does it encompass certain facets that root selfless service unto others? Time is the most precious commodity that one can have, lose, or give. Servant leadership is one of the many components that SAWIP entails in its mores, if one should say, that add value to “SAWIPers”.

 

My community service journey began with a decision to not only change communities, but to also change positions, in terms of where I serve from and that was the transition from serving from a portfolio, and serving as a servant purely without a title. Al Noor Orphanage Center, is a center that was brought to light to me by Thuli (fellow SAWIPer). The orphanage is not just another house turned “social-services-centre” but it is indeed a home for 24 children ages six to sixteen, and catering for both boys and girls who all have a story to tell.

 

It is said that smiles open doors faster than keys do, and the reality of that materialised each day I spent the collective hours with the kids, that are now my friends. When we raise our sleeves as leaders, we raise the very spirit of the people who we are serving with a selfless heart and an assertive mind. When I helped those kids with their home work, they made sure that I let them lead their minds into venturing into finding the solutions to the questions in their books, and not for me to give them all the answers.

 

Somehow they knew that they had it in them, they just needed a catalyst of some sort to give them the nudge, without giving them the upper hand to the finish line. When we played games, at times with other volunteers and even with my fellow SAWIP colleagues, they wanted me to participate and not always facilitate. I felt as though their greatest desire was not to be treated like numbers in the social service system, however, as children of a family like setting that does not take grid of the social ideals that society expects of a family.

 

I took it upon myself to share in their load, be it cleaning the boys’ rooms, because the “ladies” conference center was always neat, to washing dishes, and all other choirs that needed to be attended to. Far too often I felt like a duck in the water, always dipping my self into something new every time I came there, it was keeping my head in the waters that was the challenge. One minute I am in the kitchen the next minute, I am on the little soccer pitch shouting, “off-side, corner kick!!”, and realising how much it means to teach those amazing kids about team work. One of the greatest treasures I discovered is how much they needed someone to listen to their dreams.

 

I took the greatest pleasure in excavating each ones dream, and what a discovery I made. One of the boys that I asked what he wants to become one day, responded in a manner that saw the ground bellow me fall into a deep space of introspective thought. The boy is only twelve, and this was his response when I asked about his dreams, “When I grow up I want to be a lawyer”, and when I asked why, he continued to say, “…because I want to help social workers help children like me to have a better life, and live in better homes in my country.”

 

That very day, Mpumi and Mangaka were present, and I think as distinctive law students they too felt the weight that response carried. At such a young age he owned his dream, he saw his purpose, and drew South Africa’s vision into his own heart, as he used the word “my” It left me wondering whether or not I am doing enough to aid in this country’s vision for a better future.

 

I served Al Noor to the best of my abilities to achieve my set goals, which drew me out of my comfort zone and propelled me into a zone with emigrating to. The reward in self has never lasted, but has always been outweighed by that of selflessness.

 

To give of one’s time, genuinely deposits more to both served community, and servant, but more so the servant (assumed name, servant leader). It is thus true to me that the infamous axiom, “to live like a king, one must work like a slave” has become a component of my definition of what servant leadership is to me personally.

 

The one true thing I take way from this individual community service project, thanks to the Al Noor family, is summed up J. Brotherton’s words, “My richness consists not in the extent of my possessions; but in the fewness of my wants.”