Sweat, Blood and Love

barefooted children run upstream through the crowded corridors of my veins

their laughter and smiles piercing the pain of the black-tied and white-collared tide

toward the heart where we lie amongst our memories on the naked mattress on the floor

the scars don't show in our shadows on the walls

your arms dance

your lips tease

together

My eyes close,

My pulse slows,

The pin-up poster slides upwards as I wake,

I lay warm but naked under the thick duvet hoping to see you today,

The fantastic fog of hope rises and is gone,

As I lie across the equator in my reality, alone.

The race-based Seesaw

Rewind to South Africa pre-Mandela. Blacks and peoples of colour are discriminated, exploited and treated as less than human. No black man holds any position of respect or power in the work force or military.  We can all agree this discrimination and hatred are racist in nature and rightfully provoked international disgust of the South Africa under apartheid control. 

Present day (literally today): A friend of mine states on facebook: "I hate this country". Upon asking him "why", he told me that he - along with four other white boys - were denied an opportunity for an overseas rowing tour. The reason? They were white. Even though they recorded times which were superior to those of their coloured counterparts.  

This system of "Affirmative Action" is more vividly seen in the form of Quota - affirmative action in sports teams representing South Africa or provinces thereof - however it is more importantly affecting our competency as a leader in the African Economic Community. I'm referring to what has been called the "brain drain". Doctors and other professionals as well as prospective professionals are immigrating to countries where they will not be judged on their race but on their ability and qualifications. This directly leads to under qualified personnel filling vacancies left by these ex-pats and eventually the incompetency of the departments, hospitals or businesses for which these 2nd grade employees work.  

Affirmative action activists argue that the policy ensures the workforce of South Africa represents the population directly. In other words, 67% of the workforce must be black in colour. However the Employment Equity Act 1998 states that the purpose of the Act is to "promote equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination". Strike you as hypocritical? 

South Africa is slowly destroying its potential of rapid economic growth through the immigration of the teachers, doctors and lawyers who are meant to be preparing the "leaders of tomorrow" - all because of its archaic and evidently hypocritical policies. The racist seesaw has tipped.

the appeal of e-Communication

At this moment in time I am wondering - as much as anyone else reading this - "Why am I doing this?" For you this could be a reaction to any array of circumstances... perhaps you have work to do (K) or somewhere important to be. However, personally I'm asking myself this question because I hear it is a good thing to do. Although I have a horrible habbit of conforming to what 'enlightened' individuals consider 'right', I genuinly believe that asking seemingly obvious questions is the sure path to self-improvement. In any case I had to find some kind of motto since "early to bed and early to rise" doesn't resonate to well with my character.

So, I'm asking myself an obvious question and have already wasted a paragraph justifying my self-questioning, here's my best attempt at answering that question. To answer this question I shall explain the title: As my username states, I am a South African, living in South Africa. However at this time, my heart doesn't belong to these shores. 

Firstly I need to explain that I did a student exchange program to Dallas, TX in Aug-Dec 2007 which drasticly changed me. I experienced a country - and more importantly a people - who are welcoming and in another manner highly educated and interesting. In specific I met a girl - or a woman to be more acurate - who controlled a mind and manner that struck me and sent me flying. I'm still flying. She gave me the wings I needed and wanted so badly. The wings to love, trust and think. However, as it stands now, we are seperated by miles and miles of spacial barriers. This blog is half about her but fully inspired by her.

The second explanation necessary to any foreign (non-South African) audience would have to do with the condition of my beautiful country. God and Time have blessed the Southern tip of the African Continent with beautiful landscapes of planes, mountain ranges, forests, deserts and coastline as well as rich mineral deposits. However, I - as a young white male - have grown to a semi-contempt of the current government who have ruled without significant competition since 1994 (the first democratic elected government of South Africa - the African National Congress). This is the second reason for my "heart not belonging to these shores" or my lack of Nationalistic Pride. 

So, if you were determined enough to read this far maybe you'll be interested in what I have to say - whether it be about love, life or the sociology and politics of my little corner of the universe.

Consider this an introduction into my life's influences. Whatever you decide, this is an excercise for me. Not an excercise of publishing my ideas but of exploring them. In any case I hope you might take something constructive from my ramblings.