I've been thinking of Africa of late. I am not sure why. Maybe its the Akon music. He's Senegalese. Or from New Jersey, your choice. Maybe its something else. Some of you may know that many years ago, I lived in Africa. I don't have too many memories of it, but the ones that I have are good ones.
I somehow stumbled upon SABC's Greatest South Africans list. One tends to forget that a rather large continent sits out there and is teeming with some truly amazing people. Its amazing how we as a world are sometimes more obsessed with the next lunatic thing Britney Spears is going to do instead of perhaps enjoying the diversity that is this planet.
As I scanned down the list, I noticed some names that I can say I have the honour of knowing about. There are the obvious ones for me: Mandela, Sisulu, Tutu, Tambo, Verwoerd (yes, he's on the list). But some that are not so obvious like Gandhi, Smuts (contemporaries of each other btw), Rhodes. But they are all sons and daughters of Africa at some level. One could argue that Rhodes was English, but really was he? Is there such a thing as just English? Couldn't he be English and African? Would Gandhi have gone on to become who he become had he not been in South Africa and seen the state of affairs there?
Who else is on the list? For one, George Bizos. Somehow he ended up in South Africa from Crete. He is an integral part of South African history though... and he continues in that vein. I remember laughing when I heard that the legendary Bizos was going to represent Morgan Tsvangirai in a Zimbabwean court to fight up Mugabe's trumped up charges of coup d’état. He won. Nkosi Johnson shows up as number 5 on the list. That little boy has taught the world more about HIV and the effects of full blown AIDS than anyone else in my opinion. It is amazing when a little 11 year old can put the President of South Africa to shame and make him walk out of the International AIDS Conference.
Miriam Makeba is on the list, so is Hansie Cronje. Celebrated musician and crooked cricketer (personally, I always liked the way Cronje played... solid player, crook or otherwise). Kruger is on there too, so was Cyril Ramaphosa, Ahmed Kathrada and Joe Slovo. Afrikaaner, Black, Indian, Communist. Oppenheimer too. From that company you may have heard of. You know the one. De Beers. If you proposed (or were proposed to) to someone, chances are, you bought a diamond that at some point came from one of Oppenheimer's mines.
There was also an incredible variety of amazing names. Tokyo Sexwale. I've known of him for a while. I mean, the name itself is unusual, if not absolutely astounding. Imagine him doing the 'Bond, James Bond' routine with his name. Doctor Khumalo is a name I have not encountered yet. Tolkien I have heard of, but I did not know he was from Africa. Jonty Rhodes I did. By the way, I believe Jonty Rhodes can fly. Search for a picture of the man and you will see what I mean. Christian Barnard is on the list. Some of you may know that Dr. Barnard conducted the first human heart transplant.
So, where am I leading you with this conversation? I think what I find interesting in the world is that we as a people in the West tend to spend more time thinking of things far less important (and I use Britney Spears once again as an example) than some other things. When you start thinking of these trivial things, perhaps spare a thought for Africa. Think of little Nkosi and the many name and faceless 12 year olds in Africa (and indeed around the world) who have no parents left alive and have months to live. Think of what people like Tambo, Sisulu and Mandela did to change the world. Hell, if you've got time to gawk at some trashy photo of Hollywood's latest nutjob, look at one of Jonty Rhodes flying. In a non-sexual manner of course... unless you swing that way... in which case, heck, go for it.
I think that too many people spend too little time wondering about the greatness that exists all around us and spend far more time and money on amazing amounts of mediocrity that seems to abound the world.
One day I will visit South Africa. When I was in Mozambique, I could not. My passport had a stamp in it that said I could not enter South Africa. Something along the lines of 'valid for all countries except South Africa and Israel'. That was the Republic's way of protesting apartheid.
At one time, that list contained Rhodesia as well. Since then, apartheid has fallen by the wayside and Oslo has come and gone. But I will visit South Africa.
I somehow stumbled upon SABC's Greatest South Africans list. One tends to forget that a rather large continent sits out there and is teeming with some truly amazing people. Its amazing how we as a world are sometimes more obsessed with the next lunatic thing Britney Spears is going to do instead of perhaps enjoying the diversity that is this planet.
As I scanned down the list, I noticed some names that I can say I have the honour of knowing about. There are the obvious ones for me: Mandela, Sisulu, Tutu, Tambo, Verwoerd (yes, he's on the list). But some that are not so obvious like Gandhi, Smuts (contemporaries of each other btw), Rhodes. But they are all sons and daughters of Africa at some level. One could argue that Rhodes was English, but really was he? Is there such a thing as just English? Couldn't he be English and African? Would Gandhi have gone on to become who he become had he not been in South Africa and seen the state of affairs there?
Who else is on the list? For one, George Bizos. Somehow he ended up in South Africa from Crete. He is an integral part of South African history though... and he continues in that vein. I remember laughing when I heard that the legendary Bizos was going to represent Morgan Tsvangirai in a Zimbabwean court to fight up Mugabe's trumped up charges of coup d’état. He won. Nkosi Johnson shows up as number 5 on the list. That little boy has taught the world more about HIV and the effects of full blown AIDS than anyone else in my opinion. It is amazing when a little 11 year old can put the President of South Africa to shame and make him walk out of the International AIDS Conference.
Miriam Makeba is on the list, so is Hansie Cronje. Celebrated musician and crooked cricketer (personally, I always liked the way Cronje played... solid player, crook or otherwise). Kruger is on there too, so was Cyril Ramaphosa, Ahmed Kathrada and Joe Slovo. Afrikaaner, Black, Indian, Communist. Oppenheimer too. From that company you may have heard of. You know the one. De Beers. If you proposed (or were proposed to) to someone, chances are, you bought a diamond that at some point came from one of Oppenheimer's mines.
There was also an incredible variety of amazing names. Tokyo Sexwale. I've known of him for a while. I mean, the name itself is unusual, if not absolutely astounding. Imagine him doing the 'Bond, James Bond' routine with his name. Doctor Khumalo is a name I have not encountered yet. Tolkien I have heard of, but I did not know he was from Africa. Jonty Rhodes I did. By the way, I believe Jonty Rhodes can fly. Search for a picture of the man and you will see what I mean. Christian Barnard is on the list. Some of you may know that Dr. Barnard conducted the first human heart transplant.
So, where am I leading you with this conversation? I think what I find interesting in the world is that we as a people in the West tend to spend more time thinking of things far less important (and I use Britney Spears once again as an example) than some other things. When you start thinking of these trivial things, perhaps spare a thought for Africa. Think of little Nkosi and the many name and faceless 12 year olds in Africa (and indeed around the world) who have no parents left alive and have months to live. Think of what people like Tambo, Sisulu and Mandela did to change the world. Hell, if you've got time to gawk at some trashy photo of Hollywood's latest nutjob, look at one of Jonty Rhodes flying. In a non-sexual manner of course... unless you swing that way... in which case, heck, go for it.
I think that too many people spend too little time wondering about the greatness that exists all around us and spend far more time and money on amazing amounts of mediocrity that seems to abound the world.
One day I will visit South Africa. When I was in Mozambique, I could not. My passport had a stamp in it that said I could not enter South Africa. Something along the lines of 'valid for all countries except South Africa and Israel'. That was the Republic's way of protesting apartheid.
At one time, that list contained Rhodesia as well. Since then, apartheid has fallen by the wayside and Oslo has come and gone. But I will visit South Africa.
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