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Ms Basetsana - A role model in the making

H ow can we aspire to be someone when we do not have anyone to look up to? We salute all the people doing great things for our country -- Nomzamo Mbatha, Black C offee, Bonang Matheba and Trevor Noah . J ust to mention a few. But I have always believed you are more likely to aspire to be someone who is around you . So , who do you aspire to be if there is no one to look up to ? My name is Basetsana. I live in a small kasi (neighbourhood) called Phiri, where having a good role model is a fluke and the only people to look up to are thugs and gangsters. I wake up to drug smokers, teenage pregnancy and crime. I refuse to follow any of those. I have always known that I was destined for great things and I have always said that I want to be someone’s role model. I want to show young girls from my neighbourhood that there is more to life than partying, drinking, having unprotected sex and falling pregnant. About 2 weeks ago , I was walking back home from taking a walk . ...
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I n 2007 I lost both my parents in a tragic car accident. I was around the age of 10 then and even though it happened such a long time ago, I can remember every single detail like it were yesterday. I guess witnessing your own parents’ death can do that to a person. It was on a Sunday night and we were on our way home from one of my mother’s cousins Zulu wedding. Zulu weddings are my favorite. I am still hoping I marry a Zulu guy. It had been an awesome weekend filled with  laughter, seeing old family members, dancing and singing traditional songs. It was getting late and we had to hurry home because my parents had work the following day and we had school. We did not have a car of our own then so we were going to get a ride from my uncle’s car. My mother’s brother. My uncle’s car was one of those old, small Nissan bakkies ( Nissan B140 ). There were quite a lot of us, my uncle that I mentioned as the driver, his wife (my aunt in-law), my mother’s younger sister (my au...
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Umkhozi

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"Umkhozi"  is a true definition of a woman's strength I normally translate vernacular words to English so all my readers get a feel of what I am talking about but I honestly do not know what umkhozi is in English. I think it’s probably great that there isn't an English word to translate it to because it wouldn't have the same significance. I can however, describe what it is. Umkhozi is simply a street vendor. Except the only difference with this vendor is that she doesn’t sit at her stall and sell. She walks around with a strong heart in the hope of making enough money for her next meal. Umkhozi goes around each street carrying a big, heavy, metal dish on her head full of fresh fruit and vegetables so fresh you would swear they have just been picked, calling out loud the word  "Mkhozi" for everyone that needs fruits or vegetables.  " Mkhoziiiiii! “ " Mkhoziiiiii! “ " Mkhoziiiiii! “ Hearing this meant getting a sense ...
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Whoever said wearing a seat belt is uncool is a schmuck

D ecember time is the best time of the year for most of us. People go away on holiday, some stay at home with family and friends and others go partying and drinking. I happen to be one of those that go partying and drinking. “Sidl’ubusha bethu". It literally means we are eating our youth, but what it  really  means is that we are having the time of our lives. I went out the whole of December 2017 with no breaks in between. I was "eating my youth", having the time of my life with friends, meeting people and making new friends. Going out at night makes you notice quite a lot of things. One of the things I took note of, and probably the most brainless and ignorant things, was that wearing a seat belt is seen as uncool by people around my age group. ( I am 21 by the way. Yes I just told you my age. I am not one of those woman that are secretive about their age). Wearing a seat belt  somehow kills the vibe, and affects the "cool driving posture". Weari...
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Location: Sandton, South Africa
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Life of a boy in the township

I   once asked the question, how can you tell when you have entered the township? I got a lot of expected responses, “ the streets are packed with people ”, some said “s treet vendors everywhere ” while others said “t he hooting of taxis on the road ” Soccer, Bolo, idiski has and continues to play a huge role in our sons, brothers and nephews lives. It has managed to keep a lot of them out of trouble and away from crime, drugs and dropping out of school. So to answer my own question: I know I have entered the township when I see a group of boys playing soccer every turn I take. Growing up in a township where there is not much to look up to, and the only “role model” to aspire to is your next door neighbor who owns a pistol that he keeps at the back of his pants for everyone to see and is referred to as “iskhokho” (a champ), soccer is the only hope.  Not only is it a distraction for boys that do not want to get involved in anything that will get them into trouble, it is a...
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