Insight

Winnie: The mother who chose to defend her children

Published

7 years ago

April 20, 2018

What is and what was, what could be and what will be, where we were, are, and will be, when it will happen and how it will occur, these are all promontory entities that form the core of our relative being on earth; and relative we are because all we do and its reaction are on average indeterminable, and the best that we can do to improve their scale of determination is to use the main tool available to us: choice.

What we choose may determine what occurs after the execution of such a choice with regard to our wish, our goal, our target and all that is yearned for or whose occurrence is necessary to effect that which women and men dream of: change. Change is born of choice, and all that comes after one selects a certain method or course of action is to a large degree dependent upon what they choose to do to effect the desired change. It is not a random process guided by the voices of the masses, and it is neither a result of wisdom or prudence, it is more likened to being a fate one cannot choose, but that which comes upon one as rain does in the midst of spring.

The point at which we have to choose how the future should be arrives unannounced, and when that moment arrives, one should at least be ready in their mind to accept that which they cannot change, and to have the courage to act when they should. I watched the documentaries and film-biographies on the life of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela over the weekend after her funeral and I was hit by one aspect: the great become great because the choices fate throws their way force them to make choices that at the end of the day are felt by all concerned and unconcerned.

Chauvinistic for a long time, I have always been one that held the misconstrued view that women’s rights often tended to ignore the rights of men. The watching of the life of the woman that bore the brunt of apartheid on her family, her neighbours and nation state of South Africa and Africa changed my egotistic male view on the true essence of women in human society. For them to give birth to us but still be considered second (even third) class citizens is utterly wrong and is in actual fact that which has seen human society remain bogged in the swampy marshes of regression.

We fail as human society because of our patriarchal tendencies that do not acknowledge the full expanse of the contribution of women in our societies. Mandela and company languished in re-education on Robben Island, Winnie and her sisters in arms took the rabid hound of apartheid by the tail, plucked its teeth out, and rendered it an impotent mutt.

In her own words, Winnie did not choose to get married to Nelson, and she puts emphasis on the fact that she had not for a second thought that she would be the great figure she ended up as. What she shows is that fate oftentimes just points a finger at one and orders (through occurrences uncomprehended) that one’s path in life changes its trajectory.

Faced with the reality of the moment, the human figure is left with only two choices: to give in to the desires of the oppressor/ion, or to stand up and fight. Only those that face the leviathan and use the power they have shall be remembered for time eternal as the warrior son of Peleus, Achilles states just before the siege of Troy.

Isolated (banished) to the Free-State town of Brandfort (Majoe-Masoeu) Winnie could have stopped her political activism ad become the docile creature that was pliable in the hands of the oppressors as was the wish. Instead, her educational background and her demeanour kicked in, for she was raised as a boy and having herded cattle growing up, Winnie could fight; and fight she did for the rights of the Brandfort community and the oppressed nation. Fate threw a choice her way and she followed the right path as a result.

The Roman statesman and orator Cicero (106-43 BC) in his masterpiece De Inventione, posits: “Genuine reasons for actions can always be formulated in terms of aims or statements of goals . . . ”

Such figures as those that end up being the luminaries of their time and age end up so largely due to the choices they make, and these choices are the ‘genuine reasons’ that influence the ‘actions’ that at the end of the day summate the full breadth and totality of that which they become, that which they do, and that which they will be remembered for at the end of the day.

A choice needs to be based upon a genuine premise or concern, and in the life of Mama Winnie, the systematic fragmentation of her family and society, the denigration of the black and minor groups of the South African society by the apartheid government led to the decision to be what is in parlance termed ‘freedom fighter’: a thorn in the side of the racist system and a threat to the relative comforts of a minority that sought to thrive at the expense of others.

The 1976 student uprising against the inculcation of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in schools became her moment of epiphany. Her maternal instinct kicked and erased any of the fear that she faced on the regular from the security police. Gathering the bodies of the children shot in the protests, one can only guess her pain as a mother, but one cannot experience its full effect on her psyche due to the simple fact that men do not give birth to children and can therefore not feel the pain of the death of a child as women and mothers do.

She and other matriarchs must have felt the pain of their children, the children forced into the warrior role of their fathers who languished in jail cells or cowered in shebeens drowning their shame in barrels of cheap brews and papsak (cheap wine made from the dross of fermented grapes). Everyone has their moment of revelation, and it is that point in time where the coward of the county chooses to stand up and fight their molesters, to put to silence the jeers and the booing.

It does not take voodoo practice to change the course of time; it often takes just one second to decide what to do next and to stick with the repercussions of the decision. Winnie Mandela became not only the hero of her party, but she became the symbol of true womanhood, expressing it in her resolute decision to stand her ground despite or inspite of the unsavoury possibilities resulting from the apartheid authorities. She chose her path and was willing to bear the full load.

Of what happened post South African independence, of the stories one hears on her life, on her divorce from Mandela, I stand not as a judge, but as a figure that understands the frailty of our humanness. I understand that we are forced to bite the bullet when the conditions demand that we go against the grain or swim against the tide. Winnie Mandela is a model for the choices one should make in the course of a single lifetime, and listening to the recordings, there is one feature in her words that counts far above the rest, her frankness.

She was not one to work really hard at impressing people at the expense of her personal freedom; she was not one to mince her words with trivial niceties for the sake of being loved. Instead, she told it as is and in the process gained her freedom and the freedom of the women and the children who suffered the most in the days when apartheid ruled the land. The right path is that which begins with the right intention to correct some wrong which is preventing us from living as we rightly should, not as some tyrant wishes us to live for the benefit of his personal wishes. If we choose to be right, we first have to right ourselves like she did standing up for her children and the children of other women in her society.

The issue of making choices may at first seem easy, but the truth of the matter is that it is hard. Choice leads to actions, and such actions become the seen result of the decisions we made in our private quarters. How one chooses to follow a certain course of action does not simply hinge on being right and being wrong, it gets its proper basis on the possible outcome after it is executed. The now is only present as a platform or podium from which one can map their way into the future, and this means that the decision one takes focuses more on the prevalent possibilities than the current realities.

In his De Inventione Cicero defines actions when he speaks of cases where, “some disadvantage, or some advantage is neglected in order to gain a greater advantage or avoid a greater disadvantage . . . ” departure from the normal is often frowned upon, but the reality (present and prevalent) actually counts more than the set norm sometimes. Winnie did not choose to be what she became, like she says, she was born into it and was forced by circumstance to choose the path she took for the rest of her life.

We can distinguish between three possible sources of purpose in the field of life: The general purpose aimed at by the individual in the decision process (perhaps ‘to earn a living’ or to live comfortably enough), the communication purpose aimed at by the words or events in the current situation (perhaps ‘to render the masses aware’) and the specific purpose aimed at by a particular strategy or procedure, for example, Mama Winnie’s decision to fight literally in order to expose the fallacies and structural flaws of the apartheid system.

Purpose is the direct result of the target one seeks to achieve, we can only attain what we call purpose in life if we follow the dreams we envision for ourselves and our human society. All men and women are born equal, and it is wrong if some begin to think they are more equal than others despite their having to share the same basic spaces on an ordinary day. The ruling minority of her early days served a contradiction in that they had a domestic force of workers drawn from the oppressed masses. They could well have been poisoned, their offspring harmed, their houses looted, but it did not occur because at the most basic the filial human instinct kicked in and saved the world.

In her days at Brandfort, Winnie showed that we are all similar despite or in spite of our delusions of grandeur the oppressors felt. She shopped in ‘Whites Only’ stores, she walked the pavement as whites (blacks were not allowed to walk the pavements but had to walk ‘in’ the road if a ‘baas’ or ‘madam’ was approaching), and she was feared for instilling a spirit of dissension amongst the blacks living in the location. Seen as inciting the spirit of uprising in the ‘k****’ masses, she chinned on for the next nine years after which her long incarcerated husband was freed.

Winnie chose not to walk where she would be knocked over by the traffic, instead she risked encounters with racist whites who thought they owned the pavement. Largely embroiled in accusation most of her life, she stands vindicated by history as the mother figure that chose to defend her children and her turf when others sold out to askari-hood. I guess her choosing the path she took opened the world’s eyes to the possibility that we too can remember a humanness our vices sought to erase from our ethos. The world is now a better place because of the choices such as her made in their lifetimes.

We have to stand up for our rights as a choice, but standing too for the rights of those that cannot defend themselves is the more honourable deed. Lala ngoxolo Mama Winnie.

Thank you for making the simple aware of the power of choice and following the right path to reach a better destination for all of humanity. Thank you.

Insight

Down in the Dump: Conclusion

Published

1 month ago

December 2, 2024

The Post

I closed last week by recording the dreadful news that trashy Trump had been elected called to mind WB Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming.” This is the poem whose opening lines gave Chinua Achebe the phrase “things fall apart.”

Yeats observes “Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.”

It was written in 1919 and controversially uses Christian imagery relating to the Apocalypse and the Second Coming to reflect on the atmosphere in Europe following the slaughter of the First World War and the devastating flu epidemic that followed this.

It also reflects on the Irish War of Independence against British rule.

In lines that I can now read as if applying to the recent American election, Yeats mourns: “The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.”

And then I can visualise Trump in the poem’s closing lines: “What rough beast is this, its hour come round at last, / Slouching towards Bethlehem to be born?”

Trump is certainly a rough beast and isn’t the choice of verb, slouching, just perfect? For a non-allegorical account of the threat posed by the Dump, I can’t do better than to quote (as I often do) that fine South African political journalist, Will Shoki. In his words: “Trump’s administration simply won’t care about Palestinians, about the DRC, about the Sudanese.

It will be indifferent to the plight of the downtrodden and the oppressed, who will be portrayed as weak and pathetic. And it will give carte blanche [that is, free rein] to despotism and tyranny everywhere.

Not even social media, that once revered third-space we associated with subversion and revolution in the first quarter of the 21st century can save us because Silicon Valley is in Trump’s back pocket.”

So what follows the triumph of the Dump? We can’t just sit down and moan and bemoan. In a more recent piece of hers than the one I quoted last week, Rebecca Solnit has observed: “Authoritarians like Trump love fear, defeatism, surrender. Do not give them what they want . . . We must lay up supplies of love, care, trust, community and resolve — so we may resist the storm.”

Katt Lissard tells me that on November 7th following the confirmation of the election result, in the daytime and well into the evening in Manhattan, New York, there was a large demonstration in support of the immigrants Trump despises.

And a recent piece by Natasha Lennard gives us courage in its title “The Answer to Trump’s Victory is Radical Action.”

So, my Basotho readers, how about the peaceful bearing of some placards in front of the US Embassy in Maseru? Because the Dump doesn’t like you guys and gals one little bit.

One last morsel. I had intended to end this piece with the above call to action, but can’t resist quoting the following comment from the New York Times of November 13th on Trump’s plans to appoint his ministers.

I’m not sure a satirical gibe was intended (the clue is in the repeated use of the word “defence”), but it made me guffaw nonetheless. “Trump will nominate Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host with no government experience, as his defence secretary. Hegseth has often defended Trump on TV.” You see, it’s all about the Dump.

Chris Dunton is a former Professor of English and Dean of Humanities at the National University of Lesotho.

Insight

A question of personal gain

Published

2 months ago

November 26, 2024

The Post

Recently, an audio recording featuring the distressed MP for Thaba-Bosiu Constituency, Joseph Malebaleba, circulated on social media. The MP appears to have spent a sleepless night, struggling with the situation in which he and his associates from the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party were denied a school feeding tender valued at M250 million per annum.

In 2022, Lesotho’s political landscape underwent a significant shift with the emergence of the RFP led by some of the country’s wealthiest individuals. Among them was Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, arguably one of the richest people in Lesotho, who took the helm as the party’s leader and ultimately, the Prime Minister of Lesotho.

The RFP’s victory in the general election raised eyebrows, and their subsequent actions have sparked concerns about the motivations behind their involvement in politics.

In an interview with an American broadcasting network just after he won the elections, Matekane made a striking statement, proclaiming that he would run Lesotho exactly as he runs his business.

At first glance, many thought he was joking, but as time has shown, his words were far from an idle threat. In the business world, the primary goal is to maximize profits, and it appears that the RFP is adopting a similar approach to governance.

Behind the scenes, alarming developments have been unfolding. A communication from an RFP WhatsApp group revealed a disturbing request from the Minister of Communications, Nthati Moorosi, who asked if anyone in the group had a construction business and could inbox her.

This raises questions about the RFP’s focus on using government resources to benefit their own business interests.

The government has been embroiled in a series of scandals that have raised serious concerns about the ethical conduct of its officials. Recent reports have revealed shocking incidents of misuse of public funds and conflicts of interest among key government figures.

Over the past two years, the RFP has been accused of awarding government contracts to companies affiliated with their members, further solidifying concerns about their self-serving agenda. For instance, vehicles purchased for the police were allegedly sourced from suppliers connected to a Minister’s son and MP.

The MP for Peka, Mohopoli Monokoane, was found to have hijacked fertiliser intended to support impoverished farmers, diverting crucial resources away from those in need for personal gain.

Such actions not only betray the trust of the public but also have a direct impact on the livelihoods of vulnerable communities. Monokoane appeared before the courts of law this week.

While farmers voice their concerns regarding fertiliser shortages, it seems that Bishop Teboho Ramela of St. Paul African Apostolic Church, who is also a businessman, is allegedly involved in a corrupt deal concerning a M10 million fertilizer allocation, benefiting from connections with wealthy individuals in government.

The procurement of fertiliser appears to be mired in controversy; recall that the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, Thabo Mofosi, was also implicated in the M43 million tender.

The renovation of government buildings with elaborate lighting systems was contracted to a company owned by the son of an MP. The RFP’s enthusiasm for infrastructure development, specifically road construction and maintenance, is also tainted by self-interest, as they have companies capable of performing these tasks and supplying the necessary materials, such as asphalt.

Minister Moteane finds himself in a compromising situation regarding a lucrative M100 million airport tender that was awarded to his former company. Ministers have even gone so far as to award themselves ownership of diamond mines.

Meanwhile, the nation struggles with national identification and passport shortages, which according to my analysis the RFP seems hesitant to address until they can find a way to partner with an international company that will benefit their own interests.

The people of Lesotho are left wondering if their leaders are truly committed to serving the nation or simply lining their own pockets. As the RFP’s grip on power tightens, the consequences for Lesotho’s democracy and economy hang precariously in the balance.

It is imperative that citizens remain vigilant and demand transparency and accountability from their leaders, lest the nation slide further into an era of self-serving governance.

In conclusion, the RFP’s dominance has raised serious concerns about the motives behind their involvement in politics. The apparent prioritisation of personal profit over public welfare has sparked widespread disillusionment and mistrust among the population.

As Lesotho navigates this critical juncture, it is essential that its leaders are held accountable for their actions and that the nation’s best interests are placed above those of individuals.

Only through collective effort and a strong commitment to transparency and accountability can Lesotho ensure a brighter future for all its citizens.

Ramahooana Matlosa

Insight

Down in the Dump: Part One

Published

2 months ago

November 26, 2024

The Post

Attentive readers will recall that some weeks ago, I scribbled a series of pieces on elections due to be held in the UK, France, South Africa, and the USA. These elections were unusually critical for the well-being of their countries and even that of the world.

The results of the last of these elections are now with us and we are faced with the devastating news that Donald Trump is heading back to the White House.

I can hardly think of worse news to swallow or to equip the world to survive the years ahead.

The Dump, as I call him, is one of the most odious, dangerous, untrustworthy individuals currently inhabiting planet Earth. To cite a few of his demerits: he is a convicted felon; he believes climate change is a hoax; he is a sexist and a racist (one of his former military advisers has gone so far as to describe him as a fascist).

He is a snuggle buddy of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and will probably discontinue aid to Ukraine as it resists invasion by Russia. Western European allies such as France, Germany and the UK are dismayed at his victory, as he holds the principles of democracy and constitutionalism in contempt.

As for Africa, well, he once described it as a “shit country,” so don’t look forward to much support from him.

Readers who spent time at the NUL will remember my dear colleague Katt Lissard who is now back home in New York. She spent some years with us as a Professor specialising in Theatre studies and was the Artistic Director of our international Winter / Summer Institute for Theatre for Development.

Many activists in the USA like Katt, who don’t see themselves as part of the political mainstream, chose to campaign for the Democrats and Kamala Harris in the hope of keeping Trump and the far right out of power. Confronted with the news of Trump’s victory, she sent an email to friends noting this was “just a brief check-in from the incomprehensible USA.”

She then explained: “We’re in shock and the early days of processing, but white supremacy, misogyny and anti-immigrant bias are alive and well and driving the boat here.” So, how do Katt and millions of decent, like-minded Americans plan to weather the storm?

Katt explained: “We were deeply depressed and deeply furious as it became clear that one of the worst human beings on the planet was going back to the White House, but we are still breathing and know that we will in the days ahead begin to formulate plans and strategies—and not just for heading north across the Canadian border.”

Picking up on that last point, it may well be that many decent Americans might just up and off across the border; Canada had better prepare for an avalanche of applications for residence permits.

And not just from Americans; in, for example, the American university system alone there are many many Africans employed in high positions (Professors and such-like), who must now face the fact they are living in a country whose leader despises them and who may opt to get out.

In her email written to her friends, once the news from hell had been confirmed, Katt quoted a piece by Rebecca Solnit, one of the most exciting writers at work in the USA today (readers may remember that I have previously reviewed two of her books for this newspaper, Whose Story is This? and Recollections of My Non-Existence).

Now Solnit is a feminist and at the heart of her work is a dissection of the way women have been marginalised in the USA (let’s remember that Kamala Harris, the Presidential candidate who lost to Trump, did so partly because so many American males could not bring themselves to vote for a woman.

I am thinking of the kind of male who invaded the White House when it was announced Trump had lost the 2020 election, bare-chested and wearing cow-horn helmets on their numbskull heads).

Solnit has this to say on our response to the Trump victory: “They want you to feel powerless and to surrender and to let them trample everything and you are not going to let them.

You are not giving up and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving.

You may need to grieve or scream or take time off, but you have a role no matter what, and right now good friends and good principles are worth gathering in.

Remember what you love. Remember what loves you. Remember in this tide of hate what love is.” And then: “A lot of us are going to resist by building solidarity and sanctuary.”

What is so morale-boosting about Solnit’s piece is not just her vision but also her command of language.
Her writing is so crisp and elegant. Language comes at us at its best, of course, in literature, and when I heard that the Dump was on the move back to the White House, I immediately recalled one of the most startling poems in the English language, “The Second Coming” by the Irish poet WB Yeats.

I’ll kick off with that next week.

To be concluded

Chris Dunton