Saturday, 19 January 2013

WINNERS AND LOSERS




Let’s face it there are winners in this world and there are WINNERS!!.  Some win and dream really big, the weekly Million Rand Lottery,  a trip to the Seychelles or a week in the Bahamas,  a Day at a Spa or a designer bra. Sigh!.

 When it comes to competitions I can’t say I am a total loser, but the big ones? Nah not for me.  I enter them as they appear on my screen, the magazines, the newspapers, the flyers handed out at the traffic lights, the small prints on the walls and the big one’s  in the malls. 

 Please don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate each and every item that makes me a winner. What I can’t use myself I pass on.

 These are  some of my winnings:

A sample size washing powder after completing a ten pages questionnaire. -  I used it.
A voucher for use at a beauty salon.  I don’t do beauty and I don’t have nails so I passed it on to someone in need.
A stainless steel spoon, for telling the sponsors (in a page long essay) how wonderful their product was. I still have it, waiting for the first couple to get married. 
A packet of condoms -   I entered the competition found in a ladies room in one of our Malls. I passed it on to a youngster in need.
A hamper of J & J’s Baby Bum Cream, Gripe water and Boxes of breast pads. I don’t have babies or breasts so I passed it on to a mother in waiting.
A skin care kit made by Black is Beautiful.  Luckily I have lots of black friends.





But it seems like luck is coming my way in 2013.  Thanks to my Bontebok and my American friend. 







                  “Anybody can win unless there happens to be a second entry”



Friday, 18 January 2013

NENNA, BOETIE AND A DREAM


A tribute to Nenna. 

As you all know squatter camp people, and in particular the New Rest Camp in Seaview, is very near to my heart. They’ve been part of my life for more than 10 years and it was a very sad day when I bid them farewell.

Nenna walked in to my life as an alcoholic, a mother of a dysfunctional family, jobless, homeless and  hopeless.  Some of the challenges she had to face from day to day were an alcoholic, jobless husband, daughters who became mothers at the age of 13, a son who spent 3 months in jail for stealing food. Kids with positive HIV and TB statuses, child abuse, neglect, drugs .  The social problems in that family were endless. 

One morning I noticed kids picking fresh sour figs (Carpobrotus edulis) in my garden .


 I went down and started talking.  They were bewildered and at first wanted to flee.  They told me all about the wonders of this little fruit that I only knew as Hotnotsvy  - a hardy succulent with beautiful flowers. I realized immediately these kids were underfed, neglected and in a state that no kid should ever be in.

One thing led to another and I met Nenna, their mother and Jimmy, the dad, and the rest of the family.  They stayed in a shack that was about to come down on them.  Nenna and Jimmy spent most of their days drinking and socializing with their friends.  After I’ve met Nenna I realize that underneath the drunkenness hides a wonderful woman.  The daily obstacle she was facing was just too huge for one woman to handle.

“Drinking alcohol acts to exacerbate stress in the long run because rather than dealing with the stressful situation, the drinker will often drink to escape the stress, thus prolonging that which is actually stressing them.”

Ever since the day of the Hotnosvy, I’ve been part of that family.  The road was not always easy – it was a matter of one step forward and three steps back.  There were times that I wanted to give up on them and just walk away – but Nenna’s smile and loving heart gave me the strength to stay put.

They have come a long way in the 10 years and making progress day after day.  Unfortunately one can never make up for the lost years .  Her kids have little or no education, only Boetie her adopted son is still in school.  In a household where it is a daily battle to put food on the table, it’s not easy to keep a kid at school.  Boetie is a keen soccer player and doing very well.  His dream is to be part of Bafana Bafana one day.

I am forever looking for means to make his dream come true.  Not easy in a country where there are a million Boeties.  But I won’t give up..

I am not part of the annual Christmas celebrations as you all know.  I prefer to spend the day with the people in the camp.  Precious moments of pure joy!! My days are empty without them here in Cape Town.  Hopefully I’ll be able to visit them again this Christmas?

Nenna can not afford to pay for Boetie’s soccer outfit, school books or a school uniform. Not even the pen he needs to write an essay. 

But Boetie will keep on dreaming of that one day when he’ll wear the Green and Gold and owns his own soccer ball.  A real Nike, Adidas or a Brine.  But for now a Pep Stores plastic ball will have to do……




                       

                              

Monday, 14 January 2013

VERKEERDE KANT VAN DIE SPOORLYN

Die huis tweede van links met die rooi dak - dis waar ons bly........



Kaap toe die moes ons kom, kom wat wil.  Daar was baie te kom en veel te wil.  Lank en woes gespook om als in plek te laat val. Dit woel vir ‘n vale.

Blyplek en skool  is heel  bo aan die prioriteitslys. Maar die Kaap is vol en vreemd en baie woelig  en die pad werk toe, kerk toe en kroeg toe  hopeloos te lank vir mense wat ly aan ‘n kleindorpie-sindroom van die Oos Kaap.

Dis lekker om so tussen ander mense se vier mure rond te stap en kritiek te lewer.  ‘n Goeie vriend het eendag wyse woorde gese.  “Elke ou het die reg om tussen sy 4 mure te lewe soos hy wil”.  As hy die deur vanaand agter hom toetrek is hy/sy die baas van daai stukkie plaas.

Ek leer vinnig dat spacious verskillende betekenisse het.  Dat  ‘n room with a view nie noodwending Tafelberg of the groot oseaan in gedagte het nie.

Maar ek dwaal af.  Vandag wil ek van spoorlyne praat. En van mense wat bordjies om ander se nekke hang.  Bordjies wat se “Ja ek het my naaste lief want die Groot Boek waaraan ek onverbiddelik glo – sĂȘ so.  Maar ek sal om de dood nie saam met jou in dieselfde straat bly nie.”

Veral nie as jou kar op 4 bakstene in jou voortuin staan en die kinders sukkel om die bloukol beentjies weg te steek.  Nimmer as te nooit kan ek jou voor my vrinne my buurman noem.

Waar en wanneer het dit begin.  Toeka al is daar al gepraat van die verkeerde kant van die spoorlyn.  Die armes bly in en om die spoorlyn, want pa werk tien teen een vir die Spoorwee en ons bly in ’n verniet huis. Almal loop skool toe, kerk toe en werk toe.  

Later het dit die bo en onderdorp geword.  Die bodorp het  altyd ‘n ‘skuldbult’ uitbreiding gehad.  Daar het die ouens met die drome gebly.  Tot die bank kom terugvat en die droom in skerwe spat.  Bodorp mense ry die regte karre, dra die regte klere en die kinders neem musiek en ballet. Ma dien op twee komitees  (hier-kom-die-tee) en pa is deel van ‘n raad of ‘n klub. Vandag is dit nog steeds so.  Meeste stede praat van die Suidelike dele, die Northern suburbs, die kant van die N1 of die verkeerde kant van die N2. Die rigting bepaal dan jou status  of jy kwalifiseer om ‘n Jones te wees al dan nie.  Hier in die Kaap wil g’n mens in die Cape FlĂȘts bly nie.  Met rede ook.

Maar vandag – nou en hier het ek ‘n besluit geneem – om nooit as te nimmer ‘n bordjie om iemand se nek te hang nie.  Ek gaan jou aanvaar soos ek hoop jy my gaan aanvaar.  Wanneer ons gestroop word van die glitter en gold en nakend staan, bly net die EK oor.

Wealth does not guarantee happiness. Wealth is impermanent.

Sunday, 13 January 2013

I AM WHO I AM



'n Menslike tsunami.  ‘n Vulkaan van chaos.  Avant Garde beskryf my oudste my.
 - uniek, eksentriek – “they threw the mold away”.   Dis ek.

Goeters wat my die donder in maak.  Onreg – onreg aan vrouens, kinders, mans - enige onreg laat my bloed kook. 


Goed soos ….. Bhurka vroue wat agter ‘n sluier moet wegkruip  oor die manlike wet so se. Mans, en vroue for that matter, wat klappe uitdeel en letsels in die siel laat. Kinders wat swaarkry   -   Mense wat doodgaan van ‘n hongerpyn. Oorlog ..Daar’s nog baie ander goed wat my de moer in maak.‘ n Onregverdige god maak my kwaad  - kwater as kwaad.….Maar soos almal om my is ek ook vasgevang in die resies van die rotte.   Daagliks

As mainstream kan ek nie beskryf word nie. Tog tipies Kreef wil ek alewig nurture.  Al wat horrelpoot en afvlerk voel is moet ek koester en versmoor.


Woorde en musiek doen my siel goed.  Daarom praat ek, skryf ek, sing ek. En ek hou van mense – enige soort.  Van boemelaar tot bodorp tannies met  Duitse motors, labels om die lyf  en ‘n Franse poedel wat deur die tuinjong gewalkies moet word.  Makisaki . 

Natuurlik ‘n overwhelming affection vir die underdog.  En ek gaan soek hulle nie, hulle klop aan my deur en ek maak oop. Mense fasineer my.


 Ek hou van kos – vreemde kos.  Ek wil weet wat ‘n piki bread is en hoe die Bhutanese  kinnertjies …….. kan eet sonder om te skree "My bekkie Brand!!"

Ek is geneig tot kontroversiele gesprekvoering  met feite wat skok. Geniet ‘n debat soos die een wat tans woed.  Jesus had a wife.

Dis ek die. 


I try to color the sun

I try to swim the ocean
I try to touch the sky 

Featured post

The Bright city.

  Medina al-Zahra, also known as the 'Bright City', is a must-visit destination for archeology enthusiasts . It boasts exceptional p...