My New Booking Coming Soon: The Legend of Mamlambo

Reader beware . . . Coming to a bookstore near you in July, being published by Penguin Random House South Africa. Amiah hates moving. What was her mother thinking, moving them away from Cape Town to this strange little town in Joburg South? Meeting Teedo, a strange kid with even stranger conspiracy theories, doesn’t make her feel any better. However, after getting to know him and the rest of the group, she quickly realises there might be some truth to his crazy claims. Something strange really is going on in Spookfontein, as the other kids call the town, and it has something to do with the water tower. Could the legend of Mamlambo, the snake-like water goddess, actually be more than just a story?

Prepare to face the chill of legend in The Legend of Mamlambo! Dive into a world where ancient myths collide with modern-day mysteries in the heart of Johannesburg's south. Join Amiah and her friends on a thrilling adventure brimming with supernatural secrets, heart-pounding chases, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship. Traditional South African folklore weaves its magic on every page, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you uncover the truth behind Mamlambo. Are you brave enough? Hold on tight – the adventure of a lifetime awaits!

Januworry, Februworry, March on, in April I dream of spring

Januworry, Februworry, March on, in April I dream of a spring in my step

“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther...And then one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

I started the year with a heart full of hope,

It too exactly one day for that thing with feathers to fly away

It slipped right through my fingers

I honestly thought I had it, you know

New year, new me

But, no,

New year,

Just me making old mistakes

I couldn’t outrun my demons,

I couldn’t stretch my arms out far enough to touch my dream

There was no fine morning for me

Just dark thoughts of death

And being haunted by debt

It all came crashing down

And I was ready to exit stage left

I managed to hold on, though,

Somehow

Januworry became Februworry

I sought help

I bared my soul and it hurt

I accepted help

I put aside my pride

I Marched on

Started again

Not anew but again,

Picking up pieces of myself,

I'm still puzzling them together

Maybe the winds of winter are dying down

I dream of a spring in my step in April

Dune: Part Two review: expansive, enigmatic and exceptional

My original article here.

22 March 2024

Dune: Part Two has finally arrived, and it exceeds all expectations, delivering a cinematic marvel that stands as a worthy successor to 2021's Dune. Denis Villeneuve's direction brings Frank Herbert's intricate universe to life with breathtaking grandeur and emotional depth.

Source: Supplied.

While Hollywood’s soft leading man, Timothée Chalamet, and Zendaya deliver powerful performances, Javier Bardem's portrayal of the stoic Fremen leader, Stilgar, steals the spotlight. This sequel not only reintroduces beloved characters but also introduces captivating new additions that enrich the tapestry of the narrative.

Expanding upon the epic scale established in its predecessor, Dune: Part Two takes audiences on a mesmerising journey into a world that feels simultaneously familiar and alien. Hans Zimmer's haunting score enhances the immersive experience, while Villeneuve deftly navigates complex themes such as war, power and destiny.

Departing from the source material in some aspects, the film presents a fresh and engaging story that resonates with both newcomers and fans of the original work.

At its core, Dune: Part Two remains a gripping war narrative, delving into the complexities of politics, faith and identity. Paul Atreides' evolution from a sheltered nobleman to a formidable Fremen warrior is at the heart of the story. Zendaya's portrayal of Chani adds depth and urgency to their blossoming romance amidst the unforgiving desert landscape.

The film is as brilliantly cast as the first one, with everyone delivering stellar performances. Returning are the brilliant Rebecca Ferguson in the role of Lady Jessica, Paul’s mother and acolyte of the mystical all-female order, the Bene Gesserit; the beloved House Atreides weapons master Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin); and Baron Harkonnen’s nephew, the cruel Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista).

Dune: Part Two characters

Stellan Skarsgård plays the evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and while his portrayal is great, he has limited screentime, with the film devoting more attention to his younger nephew (and heir), Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, played to perfection by Austin Butler. This is, in my opinion, the second-best performance of the film, next to Bardem’s Stilgar.

Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen’s character is the perfect foil to Paul Atreides, formidable and infinitely more cruel. Charlotte Rampling returns as Gaius Helen Mohiam, a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother and the Emperor's Truthsayer.

We finally get to see Shaddam IV, the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe and head of House Corrino, portrayed by Christopher Walken. Other newcomers include Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan Corrino and Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot Fenring, a Bene Gesserit.

The film also delves deeper into the political intrigue surrounding House Atreides and the Imperium, as Princess Irulan Corrino covertly documents the unfolding events in her journal. On Arrakis, tensions rise as Paul, accompanied by Lady Jessica and their Fremen allies, confronts the oppressive Harkonnens while facing scepticism from some within the Fremen ranks, including Stilgar.

Source: Supplied.

As the narrative unfolds, Dune: Part Two builds towards a gripping climax that will determine the fate of Arrakis and its inhabitants. Villeneuve's masterful direction and the stellar performances of the cast propel the story to a breathtaking conclusion, leaving audiences eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this epic saga.

With its stunning visuals, thematic depth, and runtime of two hours and 46 minutes (but feels so much shorter), Dune: Part Two solidifies itself as a modern cinematic masterpiece. As the saga continues to captivate audiences, the allure of the desert planet of Arrakis beckons, promising further adventures in this mesmerising universe.

Failure (Station 16)

 Failure (Station 16)

Yhu, mtshana!

I’ve failed

Like, proper failed, hey

I’m writing this note from the bottom of the rock

Scraping the bottom of the barrel

From Station 16,

A psych ward in the middle of Germany, somewhere,

Nowhere

(Irgendwo, Nirgendwo)

A man screams into the night from Station 15 below

Lower than rock bottom

But he doesn’t know that

(Maybe he does, I can’t say)

When we go on our morning walks in the park below,

Us Station 16 Leute, 

(Station 16 people),

We look up at the Station 14 and Station 15 people,

They’re always screaming something incomprehensible,

The guy next to me always says:

Zum Glück sind wir nicht wie sie

(Luckily, we aren’t like them)

They’re the addicts and the ones who tried to kill themselves

I don’t know,

I mean, I’m no better off than them, really

They failed and I did too

I failed ‘better’ because I risked less

They threw the dice on life and death!

I think we all want to escape,

Stations 14 to 16,

Life is too much with us –

It becomes overbearing

I don’t mean to sound macabre,

But, the Station 14 and Station 15 people,

They tried

I was too scared

Zum Glück,

(Luckily),

As my therapists tell me

I don’t know

Station 14 and Station 15 people strike me as people of action

A quality I admire

But they failed

I failed

Stations 14 to 16,

We all failed

But each morning we Station 16 people look up and say,

Zum Glück sind wir nicht wie sie

I don’t know, hey

We all failed,

To different degrees, sure,

But we’re all here,

At rock bottom

Unveiling Oppenheimer on screen: A journey into brilliance

My original article here.

18 September 2023

"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer weaves an intricate tapestry, drawing from historical records and masterful storytelling. The film embarks on an intellectual odyssey, a profound journey into the heart of a complex figure.

Image supplied

A biopic of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the "father of the atomic bomb," the film finds its roots in the 2005 biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. The ambition and scope of Christopher Nolan’s interpretation of crucial moments in Oppenheimer’s life are immense. Within this dense and intricate period piece, timelines tangle, revealing Oppenheimer's multifaceted story.

Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of Oppenheimer captures a man enraptured by the boundless potential of science, only to realise too late the destructive power his creation holds. Like Prometheus giving fire to humans, he carries the weight of the bombs dropped on Japan and the knowledge that his creation might engender further devastation. Murphy excels in this role, his haunting expression and distant gaze in his piercing blue eyes becoming increasingly heart-wrenching as the film unfolds.

Accompanied by Ludwig Göransson’s score, these moments of guilt are both beautiful and horrifying. Oppenheimer’s character is meticulously unveiled, revealing the interplay between genius and torment that moulds his remarkable journey.

The film commences in 1926, with a young Oppenheimer studying under physicist Patrick Blackett (James D'Arcy) at Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory. An anxious and homesick Oppenheimer leaves a poisoned apple for Blackett, only to reclaim it. The arrival of visiting scientist Niels Bohr (Kenneth Branagh) leaves an impression, leading to Oppenheimer's pursuit of theoretical physics in Germany, where he earns his PhD and crosses paths with Werner Heisenberg (Matthias Schweighöfer).

Upon returning to the US, Oppenheimer teaches at UC Berkeley, joins Caltech, and encounters his future wife, Kitty Puening (Emily Blunt). His involvement with Communist Party member Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh) adds complexity to his personal life. The progression of Nazi nuclear advancements in 1938 compels Oppenheimer to replicate their work.

As WWII ensues in 1942, General Groves (Matt Damon) recruits him for the Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer forms a scientific team in Los Alamos, spurred by the Nazi threat. News of Tatlock's suicide reaches him. Post-German surrender, Oppenheimer supports using the bomb to end the Pacific war but dreads the consequences.

The Trinity test triumphs, culminating in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Oppenheimer becomes synonymous with the "father of the atomic bomb" title, yet remains haunted by the destruction it wrought. While he advocates nuclear restraint, President Truman (Gary Oldman) dismisses his concerns. Oppenheimer's opposition to the hydrogen bomb fuels Cold War tensions.

In a bid to diminish his influence, former allies betray Oppenheimer. Despite defence testimonies, his security clearance is revoked. Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) orchestrates his downfall, but a flashback exposes Oppenheimer's authentic sentiments about his role.

Oppenheimer brilliantly fuses historical biopic with Nolan’s cinematic artistry. The cinematography encapsulates the essence of the World War 2 era, immersing the audience in a world grappling with the intricate interplay between intellect and conscience. Though the film's narrative structure is complex, it effectively portrays the nuanced layers of Oppenheimer's character. The recurring motif of resounding footfalls underscores the mounting sense of impending peril as the monumental implications of Oppenheimer’s scientific pursuits sharpen.

Nolan is known for his gritty Batman trilogy and his complex mindbending films like Inception, Interstellar and Tenet. Oppenheimer is reminiscent of 2017’s Dunkirk with the structure of 2000’s Memento. It was filmed in a combination of IMAX 65 mm and 65 mm large-format film and it’s spectacular to look at. The ensemble cast is a testament to Nolan’s pull in Hollywood. When he calls every actor worth their salt answers even if it’s for a cameo role.

Other than Cillian Murphy as the titular character, the standout roles go to Emily Blunt as Kitty, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Matt Damon as General Groves and especially Robert Downey Jr. as the vengeful and petty Lewis Strauss.

Oppenheimer not only met but exceeded my expectations. It delivers a cinematic journey that intricately weaves history, storytelling, and moral introspection. Nolan's direction, coupled with Murphy's haunting portrayal, vividly brings Oppenheimer's internal conflicts to life. The fusion of intricate narrative, immersive cinematography, and standout performances elevates the film to cinematic artistry that resonates deeply.

Oppenheimer serves as a poignant reminder of the intricacies of scientific advancement and the weight of moral responsibility. This masterful creation, rich in emotion and depth, stands as a testament to the power of storytelling and filmmaking at its finest.

Barbie: A whimsical and empowering cinematic odyssey.

My original article here.

23 August 2023

I got caught up in the enormous Barbie wave, just like the rest of the world. I eagerly embarked on this cinematic journey, sporting the lone pink text T-shirt I own. Much like a seasoned explorer venturing into uncharted territories, I found myself captivated by the allure of Barbie's world.

Mattel’s Barbie as a brand, is a timeless cultural emblem that's captured the hearts and kindled the imaginations of many generations. The brand has also been at the heart of many dialogues concerning unrealistic beauty standards for women in our society.

Greta Gerwig’s fantasy comedy take on Barbie pushes the iconic doll into the limelight once more, ready to ignite new dreams and aspirations. I had no idea what to expect from this film and I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun Barbie is.

A case of capitalism

The film is woke as hell, in all the best ways possible, but at the same time, it’s a film produced by Mattel, the mega toy manufacturing company that produces Barbie dolls and makes a lot of money from the brand. Mattel does something that Disney did with She-Hulk and Netflix did with the recent season of Black Mirror; they're poking fun at their evil corporation image.

Like, hey, we know we’re sort of the bad guys, but what are we gonna do? A case of capitalism making money by poking fun at itself. Fittingly enough, the scenes that feature the Mattel CEO (played by a zany Will Ferrell) and his executives are the most unnecessary in Herwig’s Barbie. If you cut out the scenes featuring these characters, it wouldn’t take away anything significant from the film.

As I said, the film is fun and wholesomely woke. Barbie won't solve the problems of patriarchy or consumerism but it will make you think about them. And that is probably also where that will end but maybe that’s something. I could never have imagined a movie about Barbie having an existential crisis could be so much fun. Barbie is a meticulously crafted film. Every detail is a testament to the artistry of Greta Gerwig and her team.

The threads of womanhood, masculinity and ambition

The narrative is a captivating exploration of identity, intricately weaving the threads of womanhood, masculinity and ambition into the very fabric of Barbie's odyssey.

The central character is Margot Robbie’s Barbie. She’s stereotypical Barbie, a paragon of modern womanhood, for better or worse. Barbieland is awash in vibrant pink and all is seemingly well. Everything is perfect. Variations of Barbies, Kens and Allan live under a cheerful matriarchy. The Barbies have the most prestigious careers in Barbieland. They have all the political power and are doctors, lawyers, writers and physicists.

The Kens, meanwhile, spend their days at the beach. They have no skills applicable to contributing to society. Ryan Gosling’s Beach Ken is the quintessential Ken and is only happy when Stereotypical Barbie notices him but she barely takes note of him.

Though everything seems perfect in Barbieland, there are cracks in the foundation of their society. The Kens are unhappy but don’t know why and there’s a group of discontinued Barbie models, who are treated like outcasts due to their unconventional traits. Barbies like Kate McKinnon’s Weird Barbie (whom everyone calls Weird Barbie behind her back, but also to her face).

Things take a turn for the worse when Barbie starts having thoughts of death, develops bad breath, cellulite and flat feet. The problem seems to stem from our world, the real world. Thus Barbie embarks on a whirlwind adventure to our world to deal with her existential crises. In the real world, she meets America Ferrera’s Gloria, a Mattel employee who helps her, and Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha, Gloria's daughter.

Boasting a stellar cast that includes Issa Rae as President Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Writer Barbie, Emma Mackey as Physicist Barbie, Simu Liu as Tourist Ken, Kingsley Ben-Adir as Basketball Ken, Ncuti Gatwa as Artist Ken, Michael Cera as Allan, and Helen Mirren as the narrator, Barbie's ensemble is nothing short of remarkable.

Yet, beneath the dazzling array of colours and camaraderie, Barbie's true triumph lies in its ability to transcend the cinematic realm. It unabashedly embraces the legacy of its iconic doll counterpart, extending a heartfelt invitation to audiences to embrace their unique narratives and chart unexplored paths.

The film radiates an ethos of empowerment, resonating with the very essence that has made Barbie an enduring emblem of aspiration. As the credits roll, one cannot help but be swept away by the resonance of Barbie's transformative voyage—a voyage that resounds with the mantra, “You can be anything.”

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, A Study of Grief

“In my culture, death is not the end. It’s more of a stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into a green veld where you can run forever.”

Save the date. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be available for streaming on Disney+ from 01 February. The film had (has, depending on where you are) a solid theatrical run since its late October release last year and will be a welcome addition to Disney+'s Marvel library. On 08 February you can check out Marvel Studios' Assembled: The Making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. If you haven’t seen the film yet, you are in for a treat.

Marvel's Phase 4 kicked off with the Disney+ show, Wanda Vision, whose theme was grief. Wanda loses Vision at the hands of Thanos and the grief of that loss tears her apart. We learn later that she is the Scarlet Witch, a being of unlimited power. Wanda uses that power to trap a town full of people in a bubble (well, a hex). She works through her grief by turning the town into a sitcom and controlling the citizens throughout various decades, depicting the family life she wished she could have had with Vision and their (imaginary?) children. The big problem with that show was that Wanda's grief was larger than life for a character we hadn't had a chance to connect with on such a deep emotional level and with whom she had a largely off-screen romance.

Phase 4 takes place in a post-Thanos world and many of the shows and films that make up this phase are hit-or-miss affairs because the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become too large and unruly. It's become a cinematic multiverse. Marvel's winning formula of telling interconnected stories has trapped them into filling their properties with references to other films and shows, cameos from other MCU characters and planting Easter Eggs. That makes it hard to tell a focused story. I digress, though. What I wanted to point out about Phase 4 is that its overarching theme has been loss and grief. Our heroes defeated Thanos but lost friends, family and lovers doing it.

Wakanda Forever presents us with the biggest loss in the MCU. We lost the Black Panther in real life. We lost the great Chadwick Boseman to colon cancer in 2020. He played the graceful King T'Challa knowing that he was dying and sharing that knowledge and suffering only with his close family. Director Ryan Coogler takes the real grief that the cast and fans feel at the loss of Boseman and weaves it into this film's story. The screenplay for Wakanda Forever had to be rewritten after Boseman's death and Coogler wrote the grief of his passing into it. The film feels a little messy as a result, as messy as grief is.

Chadwick Boseman's spirit lives in this story. Wakanda may not be real and the Black Panther may be a fictional character but this story does what great stories do and lets us feel the real grief of losing someone who made a positive impact on our lives. Is this a perfect film? No. As I said, it's messy and you can tell that the script was rewritten and it’s bloated with the Marvel baggage all the MCU films have to carry. What it is, though, is a film with a lot of heart and genuine emotion. Boseman's death feels as unexpected in Wakanda as it was for most people in real life and everything is set off balance as a result.

The film kicks off with T'Challa dying from an unknown illness and his sister Shuri racing against the clock to find a way to save him. She fails and instead of being at his side in his last moments, she was in her lab. This film largely focuses on Shuri's grief, hurt and anger. She is young, impulsive and fiercely intelligent. Her grief is a reckless fire that burns down everyone in its path. Friend and foe alike. Letitia Wright plays Shuri's struggling character with heartfelt sincerity. It's no spoiler that Shuri takes up the mantle of Black Panther and does it in a way that shows she's been thrown into a role that's too big for her and that she's struggling to fill big shoes. Wright's performance captures that insecurity because the actress is thrust into the main role in this film because of Chadwick Boseman's passing.

Angela Bassett's performance as Queen Ramonda, on the other hand, is a masterclass in acting. Wow! Just wow! She commands the screen in every scene she's in as the Queen who's lost everything and has to show the world that Wakanda isn't on its knees after the loss of its leader, her son. Her speech asking whether she hasn't given everything for Wakanda sent shivers down my spine. Her Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture is more than deserved. Most of our favourite characters are back for the second outing, along with new faces. The gorgeous Lupita Nyong’o is back as Nakia, the Wakandan spy. Danai Gurira’s Okoye and Wakanda’s greatest warrior has become an MCU staple. She and her Dora Milaje warriors are as no-nonsense as ever. Winston Duke is back as wiser and more grounded M'Baku and Martin Freeman reprises his role as CIA agent Everett Ross.

South African actress, Connie Chiume reprises her role as Zawavari, previously the Mining Tribe Elder, but now the Elder Statesman. Trevor Noah also reprises his role as Shuri's AI assistant, Griot. While on the topic of South Africa, Xhosa is the official language of Wakanda but the American and British cast seemed to have gotten worse at the pronunciation of the Xhosa words than in the first film. Maybe they didn't have a speech coach this time, I don't know.

In his first MCU appearance in Captain America: Civil War, T'Challa says to Natasha Romanoff, “In my culture, death is not the end. It’s more of a stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into a green veld where you can run forever.” This film asks all of us to take these words to heart and to make the best of our lives right here and now because our loved ones are not truly gone. Wakanda may be grieving but the wolves are at the door looking to get their hands on their precious resource, vibranium.

The search for vibranium is what brings the world in contact with the villain (or is it anti-villain?) of the piece, Namor and his people. In the comic books, he is the king of Atlantis and known as Namor the Sub-Mariner. Ryan Coogler and his team changed his comic book origins to fit in better with the world as it is set up in the MCU. The wonderful Mexican actor, Tenoch Huerta Mejía (you might know him from Narcos: Mexico) portrays Namor as the king of Talokan, an ancient civilization of underwater-dwelling people, who refer to him as the feathered serpent god K'uk'ulkan. The introduction of Talokan is where Wakanda Forever shines. We've seen the wonder that is Wakanda and now we're being taken to a breathtaking kingdom under the ocean dripping with Mayan symbolism. Wakandans avoided colonisation by hiding their country and Namor's people escaped the enslaving of the Mayan civilisation by the Spanish when their god led them into the ocean, where they built their vibranium-rich kingdom. Namor will do everything in his power to keep the surface dwellers from discovering Talokan and its vibranium. Given the colonial history, do you blame him? Representation matters and Wakanda Forever does a great job of shining the spotlight on underrepresented people in Hollywood.

The introduction of Riri Williams to set her up for her Ironheart Disney+ series is where the film gets bloated and is bogged down by MCU baggage. The character is an MIT student and genius inventor whose presence feels shoehorned in so that by the time we see her in her show, we can all be, yeah, I know her! Actress, Dominique Thorne does the best she can with what she is being given and you can’t expect more.

Music was an important feature of Black Panther and is equally important in Wakanda Forever. Ludwig Göransson returns as the composer and his scoring captures the grief of the film perfectly. The lead single, "Lift Me Up" by Rihanna was written by Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Ryan Coogler, as a tribute to Boseman. Tems' cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry", which was used in the film's teaser trailer, was the song that got me in the feels.

Wakanda Forever is a wonderful sequel to the global phenomenon that was Black Panther and a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman.

#YouthMatters: General disappointment, anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories and misinformation

My original article here.

22 June 2021

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes." - Mark Twain (but likely not.)

Like those work emails we all send, I hope that this #YouthMonth2021 piece finds you well, but it’s probably finding you frustrated and generally disappointed. The winter chills are settling in across the country, load shedding looms large and Malume Cyril called the dreaded family meeting and put us on Level 3. The third wave of Covid-19 has crashed upon us, we’re wondering when we’ll get vaccinated and a cousin on our family WhatsApp group has suddenly become an expert on nanotech overnight and knows how Bill Gates is using the vaccines as the delivery method to control us. Also, remind me, do we have a health minister again? It’s a tough time to be positive.

Charles Siboto - Source: Supplied

We’ve been living through the ‘Panna cotta’ since the beginning of 2020 and so many levels of lockdown later, there’s a feeling of frustration and Covid-19 fatigue in the air. Which is understandable, of course. I mean, it’s our first time living through a pandemic on this scale and we’re still learning how to cope with it. Memes and TikTok seem to be the go-to coping mechanism. Almost every aspect of our daily lives has been changed by this pandemic in a relatively short space of time. It makes sense that we’re all slightly on edge. But while most of us have masked up and hunkered down with the hope of making it through these unprecedented times, voices spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation, in general, seem to be ringing louder. What is worrying, though, is how many young people are adding their voices to this choir.

#YouthMonth: What do all these #movements want?

One of the things that the outbreak of Covid-19 has made clear is that all of us are in the same boat, whether we like it or not. What happens in China affects all of us. What happens in the US affects all of us. What happens in South Africa affects all of us...

BY CHARLES SIBOTO 12 JUN 2020

Starting blocks remain unequal

You know what, though, I do get it. Promises of a brighter future were made to the born-free generation. Some of those promises have been delivered, we can admit. Many of us who grew up poor are doing better than our parents. Most of that progress can be attributed to access to education. But the starting blocks remain unequal between Black kids and white kids, rich kids and poor kids. Our trajectories are different as a result. It doesn’t help that our government isn’t coming to the party.

Economic change takes time, we get it, but blatant corruption and poor governance frustrate the process at great cost to the quality of young people’s lives. Add Covid-19 to this and things become bleaker.

Poor kids are getting their degrees and then going back home to their impoverished conditions and it’s a Herculean challenge to get out. Wealthy kids are getting their degrees, going back home, jamming some Playstation for a bit while they look for work. If they can’t get work through normal channels (which is currently rough for everyone), maybe they can lean on a family connection (which is fine, it is what it is) and if that doesn’t work maybe even go try abroad. Kids in the middle class, if you can even call it that in SA, are in the precarious position of having some resources but also facing the real challenge of maybe being unemployed long enough that it puts a strain on those resources to the point that they run out. These are real, concrete problems. Especially during a very real pandemic that’s costing lives and livelihoods.

Has youth unemployment really become another pandemic in SA?

For the past few weeks, I have been listening to both political and economic analysts to try and understand how bad this situation is. Some analysts have deemed the state of youth unemployment in SA as not only dire, but as one of the pandemics along with gender-based violence (GBV), Covid-19 and others...

BY MIRANDA LUSIBA 18 JUN 2021

There are great stories of people overcoming their circumstances and finding creative solutions to economic challenges, of course. Hell, almost every #YouthMonth in the past three years I’ve been shouting from the rooftops how the kids are doing it for themselves. Struggling your way to the top against all odds is fine but it can’t be the norm to build a country on. We need systems and institutions that do what they are supposed to.

The rise of misinformation vs real problems

The point I’m getting to (in the most roundabout way) is that the rise of misinformation distracts from these real problems. How can we take the government to task when we’re too busy wading through a sea of conspiracies? Misinformation is actively killing people during the pandemic as well. People aren’t taking precautions against catching Covid-19 or mistrust vaccines, which results in deaths that could’ve been avoided. We’re all vulnerable to misinformation because we want to make sense of the outrageousness of things. Conspiracy theories get under our skin because they’re sexier than the truth and make it easier for us to turn off our brains. Everything that’s going wrong? It’s Bill Gates, China, immigrants, 5G, the Illuminati or some multi-government cabal. The government cabal is maybe closer to the truth, but not in any complex, multilayered way. It’s just sheer arrogant incompetence. Because they can get away with it and we are too distracted to do anything about it.

All the people on Twitter telling us that we are sheeple are also just sheeple to misinformation.

This #YouthMonth is a rough one and things are generally disappointing. It’s difficult for all of us and perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel, I don’t know. Protect yourself and the people around you by taking the necessary Covid-19 precautions. I’d say get vaccinated but there’s not much to do but wait on that count.

The Women Who Raised Me

The Women Who Raised Me

“We was born to mothers who couldn't deal with us

Left by fathers who wouldn't build with us”

 

 

I’m the son of loud and proud Xhosa women who are present

I’m the son of a loud and obnoxious father who is absent

I was raised by women who built me up

And men who wouldn’t build with me

My grandmother, Ouma Sag, is warmth and chaos,

A rough and tough Kallit woman

Who married into the Xhosa culture,

‘La gogo we Lawu’

She taught me Afrikaans and gave me my love of tea

She is afraid of the government and white people

Considering her history,

Rightly so

My mother is noise and structure

She likes things being in their place

She’s the hardest working person I know

Life hasn’t been kind to her,

In response, she’s one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet

She’s a bit of a busybody, though

She likes getting involved in everyone’s business,

In a good-natured, well-meaning way

My aunt, my Mam’ncane, is quiet and chaos

She doesn’t like people much

And minds her business

She’s fiercely intelligent

Her focus and determination inspire me to keep pushing myself further

My sister is cheek and chaos

She’s all attitude, that one

Always ready to put people in their place

She’s crazy and fierce

Her fire burns hot and bright

I hope that she sets the world on fire

With her excellence one day

I am all of these characteristics,

With a generous serving of anxiety on the side

But all the good qualities I do have,

I get from these wonderful women

Who raised me

Occasional Letters to Death #4

Visiting the Departed

Death is before me today:

Like the recovery of a sick man,

Like going forth into a garden after sickness.

Death is before me today:

Like the odor of myrrh,

Like sitting under a sail in a good wind.

Death is before me today:

Like the course of a stream,

Like the return of a man from the war-galley to his house.

Death is before me today:

Like the home that a man longs to see,

After years spent as a captive.

Neil Gaiman, Preludes & Nocturnes (The Sandman, #1)

 

Dear Death,

I spoke to four dead men today,

Their graves next to each other in my grandmother’s garden

I loved them all to varying degrees in Life

I love them to even more varying degrees in Death

The first man I spoke to was my grandfather

The degree to which I loved and love him is small,

As small as his mindedness was

But I was glad to swing by and say hello

The second man was sort of an adopted grandfather, I guess

He hung out at my grandmother’s house a lot

We all just went along with it

We all went along till he just became part of the family

I loved him in a pleasant sort of way

I still do

He told utterly fantastic stories that you could tell he utterly believed

He had an old-man smell that I liked

The third man I spoke to was my uncle, my Malume,

My mother’s older brother

He gave me some of his OCD

When I shine shoes or iron shirts, I think of him

I loved him

Even though he always shouted at me

I miss him and I am mad at him

He died in such a stupid way

Tuberculosis!

Treatable

He just had to take his pills

The last man I spoke to was my Malume too,

My mother’s middle brother

I loved him very much

He didn’t deserve it

He was trouble wearing a charming smile

We were all at peace the day he died too young

In Death, we all love him more than we did in Life