Interestingly, we, the children of Soweto, have realised in the past two decades or so that the fiery and prophetic fire and spirit of our much-vaunted revolution have faded. Sandile Memela
IN THE next three years, it will be 2026. And we would observe and mark the 50th anniversary of June 1976
Interestingly, we, the children of Soweto, have realised in the past two decades or so that the fiery and prophetic fire and spirit of our much-vaunted revolution have faded.
Next year, the ANC would have been in power for 30 years. And it could have, presumably, played a leading role in the organisation of 30 years of freedom and democracy.
But corruption has weakened the hands of our peers and former comrades at all levels of state power since 1994.
Looking back at the past 47 years since 1976, the angry, defiant and self-sacrificing youth who willingly confronted the mightiest military state in Africa have grown soft.
It comes with age. When you are over 55, you become soft around the waist and in the frontal part of the brain.
Those of us lucky enough to occupy cushy government and private sector jobs are now the first to advise our angry, go-for-broke offspring to “cool it”.
We are the ones who are impatient and dismissive of anything that threatens the stability of what they perceive to be democracy. When we see protests and marches, we drive in a different direction to avoid mayhem.
After almost five decades in the trenches, we have learnt that revolution is not an overnight thing.
Well, it is some of those who are outside the tent of privilege, with no access to state power, positions, resources and opportunities, who are fanning the fires. We understand that they have gained nothing and feel betrayed. Thus, they are bitter, frustrated and angry.
This is the teaching of experience and history of the past 29 years. The fact is, we, the children of Soweto, are old, in our late fifties, sixties and seventies. We have moved out of the arena of conflict to see Nelson Mandela become the first black president, retire and, ultimately, die and be buried. He was a relatively rich man.
We are the ones who have watched some former exiled comrades become multimillionaires and turn their backs on national development that is aimed at uplifting the people.
Those privileged to have government jobs have pursued idealistic economic policies like GEAR and set new state priorities, but they have not done enough to stop and fight the corruption of political power.
Worse, all we want is to secure the little we gained, to make ourselves comfortable in the most unequal society on Earth.
Frankly, we are about selfish individualism.
We are so politically mature that we believe South Africa is not a society at war with itself or the world. Thus, for many of us, the pursuit of violence, destruction of property and desire to kill is not what makes us come alive.
We are old and tired.
What has happened, gradually, since 1977 is that we have been softened to avoid violent confrontation. Yes, we are not proud to admit it but we have become part of the system we fought against.
For us, looking at South Africa from our gated estates and suburban homes, the aim is to bring about change in a peaceful manner that will leave the country united and intact.
We know but deny that this means the protection and preservation of a supremacist and ruthless economic system that perpetuates inequality and poverty.
We have changed our understanding of history to accept that the country belongs to whites as much as blacks, including African, Asian and European migrants who settle here.
We have observed that in the past 25 years, there has been an increase in conflict between the government and the disgruntled people who rise to demand better service delivery.
But as we drive past dilapidated squatter camps or protest marches, we convince ourselves that the misery and suffering of our people are self-inflicted.
We can see on television and in documentaries that many of the townships have, increasingly, become battle areas, leaving bodies, and homes and public buildings burnt.
But the past 29 years have, unavoidably, changed our behaviour and attitude as we are now beyond middle age.
You can call it Struggle fatigue if you will. Alternatively, it is nothing less than the desire to make money and secure a comfortable lifestyle, by any means necessary. You can be comfortable in injustice.
When you really think about it, it is idiocy to assume that people who have been through more than four “revolutions,” if you can call them that – 1960, 1976, 1985 and 1990, for instance – would not be battle scarred and weary.
Of course, we are aware that there are some over 50-year-olds with a so-called radical orientation, for example. They want to pretend that they still have the passion to breath fire out of their mouths and have not changed.
They entertain the illusion of being lifelong radical revolutionaries. But everything has its time and purpose.
In fact, the rhetorical revolutionaries find status and shallow self-fulfilment from rousing talk and radical rhetoric over hard drinks at parties and social functions. Worse, they may even talk of establishing a radical left front or forum.
This is all an adventure to bring back a dead past. Just like many in their age group, they will soon fight for positions and kill each other for money and access to state resources.
But for those who consider themselves pragmatists, there is no going back to the past. 1976 is a fading history.
The best lesson that our own children can learn from us is not to repeat our mistakes, if any. But it is difficult for South African activists to learn from history. Far too many of our children, for example the #FeesMustFall leaders, are like us and want more than what we have.
In the next seven years, we are not going to reach the National Development Plan target of transforming the most unequal society in the world by 2030.
We should have the courage to admit that we have failed and betrayed our historical mission.
Instead, we espouse the gospel that those of us with the energy and time must be about the creative adventure of nation building and social cohesion.
After all, as the president says, we are a “resilient people”. Thus, everybody is condemned to make the most of the bad: inequality, unemployment and hopelessness.
We have come to understand and appreciate what ANC leader Oliver Tambo warned us about: fighting for freedom is easier than running Africa’s most sophisticated economy.
It is not difficult to see that over the past 29 years, we, the children of Soweto, have grown into misguided ageing adults.
But there is no need for polarisation between the young and old. The rise of the idealistic EFF and Rise Mzansi, for example, are a welcome development that should be gadfly in our conscience as the rulers of the country.
It must be said: we are old and tired and suffering from Struggle fatigue. It is time for the youth to create the new South Africa they want for themselves and their children.
Sandile Memela is a writer, cultural critic and public servant. He writes in his personal capacity.
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