The Pleasures of Commune Living

   So you don't have sugar. No problem. Go to the family staying in the garage and they will give you some sugar. No cooking oil also? Don't sweat. Try the family living in the 'mmesonite' construction behind the house.

   These are some of the benefits of staying in a commune Protea South(my 'kasi') style. If you have run out of stuff and you are not able to buy it right away( or, frankly, you do not have the money to do so now), it is not a shame to go ask your neighbour to help you out.

   One of the main features of Protea South is the presence of 'madala' houses. These are big and old houses that were once owned by the municipality(and used to house white folks in the past). In these houses you now find 3 to 4 families sharing the house. And these 4 families (or so) are not the only ones living in the yard. There maybe one or two 'mekhukhu'(shacks) also in the same yard. 

   This set up is the best demonstration of the concept of 'ubuntu'('I am because of others'). You cannot say no to a genuine request for help, because living in such close proximity to other families means that you are bound to ask for a favour too at some stage in the future. It could be a small thing like needing someone to help you push your car if it doesn't start.

   Living like this is secure too. Not in the sense that someone is guarding you. But you can count on your yard neighbours to come to your aid when someone tries to burgle your house/room at night. And mercy to that burglar if they are ever apprehended.

   And the negatives? Not too many to be a big deal. After all, this close living is how we are brought up in the African culture.

   Having said that, I must admit that the loud music/noise situation is uncontrollable sometimes. It becomes a 'free-for-all' kind of at times, where you have hip-hop versus shangaan music vs 'dipina tsa Basotho'. In this mix you add people who want no noise because they are watching TV or reading a book. But one cannot complain too much at such chaos. This is commune living. You take the good with the bad. 

                                  =====================================  

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                                =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

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Guilty As Charged Indeed

   A sense of relief.

   We are relieved that  our legal system in this instance lived up to its promise to treat everyone equally.

   We say this in the wake of the guilty verdict in the case of musician Jub Jub Maarohanye and his friend Themba Tshabalala. After a very lengthy trial - running for two and half years - these two were finally found guilty of murder on four accounts and of attempted murder on two other accounts. The case arose from an accident in 2010 in which the cars driven by the two veered off the road and  slammed into a group of students, killing four students and severely injuring two others.

   The length of time it took to finally arrive at the verdict had given rise to fears that Jub Jub might get away with murder literally, because he is a well known musician. We had feared that his money - in the form of expensive lawyers - might just allow him to escape justice.

   The trial was not about whether someone likes Jub Jub or not. It was about the facts of the matter. And the facts are that a drag race on a public road by Jub Jub and Themba - who were both under the influence of drugs and alcohol - resulted in an accident that led to four pupils losing their lives and two others being maimed. Even as a friend of Jub Jub, you cannot argue with these facts. Justice had to be done.

   The man in the street will sleep easier, knowing that the judicial system in our country is fair.  Celebrity or not, we are all equal before the law.

                                     ============================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                         =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

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The Courage a 14-Year-Old Girl

   Our hearts go out to Malala Yousufzai and her family. 

Malala is the 14-year-old school girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban Islamic militants in Pakistan . That she survived this attempt on her life is a true miracle.

   All Malala did was simply stand up for her right(and that of her fellow Paskistani girls) to an education. The Taliban militants are vehemently opposed to girls being educated. They are so opposed to education of girls that at some stage in the past - when they controlled this north western part of Pakistan where Malala lives - they burnt down schools for girls.

   The real threat to world peace is not Iran and its nuclear capabilities. Nor is it Syria with its chemical weapons. The real threat to the modern world is the Taliban and its archaic thinking towards women(who comprise half of the world's population).

   Once again we say:

                                                        SAY NO

                                                      _________

 Say 'no'.

NO.

Say 'no' to violence.

'No' to violence against women.

'No' to violence against children.

Say 'Yes'.

YES.

'Yes' to 16 days activism.

'Yes' to activism for those most vulnerable.

Stand firm.

Stand firm against domestic violence.

Stand firm against spousal abuse.

Say 'Stop'.

STOP.

Say 'Stop' to violence against anyone.

Say 'Stop' especially,

To violence against women and children.

An injury to one woman,

An injury to one child,

Is an injury to all of us.

Say 'No'.

NO.

Say 'No'.

NO.

======================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                         =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

Learn the Exact Formula

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With Mathematical Certainty 

From the gurus featured in "The Secret"

                            

     

         

                  

An Insight Into the LGBTI Community. Thanks 'Aza'.

   Now we know who is a 'Stella McCartney' in LGBTI speak. This is someone who will steal your stuff if you ever date them.
   This past week we got to know about this term and others as used by the LGBTI(Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans-gendered & Inter-sexed)  community amongst themselves, thanks to Metro FM's  Azania 'Aza' Mosaka. For most of the week, during her 'Total Bliss' show(9am to 12 midday), 'Aza'  interviewed several prominent members of the LGBTI community here in Gauteng. She was doing these interviews in an attempt to highlight the plight of this community ahead of their Joburg Pride march(that took place yesterday - Saturday 6th).
   The Gay and Lesbian community is routinely victimized in some townships. If the lesbians are not raped in order to 'cure' them, they are murdered. Or both. All of this because they are homosexual. 
   By bringing a few members of this community on air 'Aza' was saying - in a way - that she is fully behind them. And this is a stance that should be adopted by all South Africans. Prejudice against someone because of their sexual orientation is the same as discriminating against someone because of the colour of their skin. There is not much you can do about your skin colour. Just as much as there is nothing you can do about your sexual orientation. 
   The highlight of this series of interviews was no doubt the final one(done on Friday 5th). 'Aza' interviewed the king of the LGBTIs himself - Somizi Mhlongo. In a no holds bared interview Somizi told us about his 'uku guzuka'(bruises) on this road to making people(fellow Africans in particular) accept him the way he is. Loved how he started this interview by saying, "People must not phone in and ask me why I am gay. This is 2012."

                                         ========================      

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                         =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

Learn the Exact Formula

To Achieve Any Financial Goal 

With Mathematical Certainty 

From the gurus featured in "The Secret"

                            

     

         
                  

A Street Named Steve Biko

   As the preamble of our constitution declares - "South Africa belongs to all those who live in it..." , so it should be with the naming of our streets, our airports, our highways etc. These should named after all those who fought for the liberation of our country. And not just after those of one particular organization.
   So it was really pleasing to see the city of Cape Town renaming of one of the main streets in Gugulethu - the  NY 1 - to Steve Biko Drive. Steve Bantu Biko may not be here to see the free South Africa, but his contribution to bringing it about was immense. 
   Biko taught us to love ourselves as black people. He said if you love yourself nobody can make you feel inferior. It is also generally acknowledged that the Black Consciousness Movement(BCM) philosophy was one of the main drivers of the Soweto student uprising of 1976, an event which proved to be one of the turning points in the liberation struggle to free South Africa. The student leaders of this '76 generation were mostly members of SASO(South African Students Organization) - an organization that preached 'black consciousness' and whose first president was Steve Biko. 
   Now that the city of Cape Town has shown the way, can we hear it for my city of Johannesburg. Can we also hear it for the capital city - Pretoria. The Robert Sobukwes, the Tsietsi Mashininis are waiting.

                                      =========================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                        =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

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To Achieve Any Financial Goal 

With Mathematical Certainty 

From the gurus featured in "The Secret"

                            

     

         
      

Soweto's Third Giant Awakens

   Moroka Swallows 'The Birds' Football Club - one of the original three Soweto football heavyweights(the other two being Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs) - is back. This they announced loudly last night when they beat Supersport FC by two goals to one in the MTN 8 Final. Bennett Chenene starred for Swallows by scoring the winning goal with just 4 minutes to go before the end of the game.

   The comeback from wilderness by 'The Birds' started last season(2011/2012) under the then coach Gordon Igesund. And it seems to be continuing at full speed this season(2012/2013) under  their new coach - Zeca Marques. Last season they came agonizingly close to winning the Premier Soccer League title. The title chase - which had become a two horse race between Swallows and Orlando Pirates towards the end of the season - was won by Pirates in the very last game of the league.    

   For the lovers of the local game this rise again by Moroka Swallows is fantastic news. Now we are going to have more than one Soweto derby. In addition to the Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs   

one, there is now also going to be the Pirates vs Swallows one(the original Soweto derby, so they tell us bo - mafikizolo i.e. batho ba Chiefs), and the Chiefs vs Swallows one.

   In this excitement about the Soweto giants, we have not forgotten the two Pretoria giants - Mamelodi Sundowns and Supersport United(the defeated finalist in yesterday's MTN 8 Final). In addition to each region's derbies, sparks are going to fly whenever these five current hot teams(by our own humble assessment) play each other. Potentially there are now going to be at least 20 games( excluding cup games) which will be 'must sees' in the PSL this season(2012/2013).    

   These are exciting times indeed for local football.

                                 ============================ 

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                        =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

Learn the Exact Formula

To Achieve Any Financial Goal 

With Mathematical Certainty 

From the gurus featured in "The Secret"

                            

     

                               

Bafana Bafana Slowly Bringing Back The Joy

   It is early days, we know. After all, it is only two games into the tenure of the new national coach - Gordon Igesund. A not so bad 0-1 loss to football heavyweight - Brazil - in the Brazil's own backyard(Sao Paulo), and a 2-0 defeat of  Mozambique here at home is all we are going by.

   But it still looks like our national soccer team - Bafana Bafana - is slowly getting its groove back. Mr Igesund seems to have brought back the spark to the team that was missing in the final games under his predecessor.

   With the Africa Nations Cup(Afcon) just around the corner (in January 2013), and us due to host this tournament, it is starting to feel like those days back in 1996 when Clive Barker was the national coach. The days when Bafana Bafana annexed the Afcon for us for the first time, during our hosting of it. The days of bo-'Shoes' Moshoeu, Mark Williams, Eric Tinkler and Mark Fish. The days when we worshiped the ground on which Bafana walked.

   There is still be some way to go however, with more friendly games to be played, before we can start dreaming about an Afcon win. The coach himself - though happy with Bafana's performance in his first two games in charge - has acknowledged that this Bafana team is not a finished product yet. But the new attitude from the players, plus the fresh faces in the team, have given us great hope ahead of the Afcon tournament next year.

   We can win this thing, guys.

                                          =====================

    

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                        =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

Learn the Exact Formula

To Achieve Any Financial Goal 

With Mathematical Certainty 

From the gurus featured in "The Secret"