Ubuntu Unfolded - Save South Africa

The lush fynbos where fauna and flora thrive, the diverse coast catering to any and every need, the abundant Savannah plains calling out to those who dare enter it and the big hearts of those of flesh and blood who call South Africa home: this is the country we want and the country we need.

The world is formed in a way that beauty and richness cannot exist without ugliness and corruption of resources. South Africa is not immune to this, and if there is anyone who knows the struggle, it is South Africans. Our history has plagued us and made us succumb to struggling - maybe forever. We have our fair share of problems: corruption, indifferent leadership in places, wrongful manipulation of resources, poverty, a high crime rate, etc. But answer this: which country does not have problems? It is how we handle problems in the face of adversity that truly showcases our character and a country is no different.

Our problems obviously cannot be ignored or not at least addressed, but that takes courage. Courage, that we as a country, do not have… YET. We must acknowledge our problems and be immensely grateful that it is not worse, that we aren’t in severe war states, but we must also be honest with ourselves, and especially our people, that we do have certain issues that need to be addressed immediately. And most importantly, when these issues are addressed, we should not turn on each other and start blaming groups and demand that they fix everything, because nothing is ever going to get fixed if we are stuck in this constant state of us vs. them. It is time to unify and take your neighbour’s hand and face these problems… together as proud South Africans.

This country is so overwhelmingly extraordinary that it is almost impossible not to feel consumed by patriotism and cry when our national anthem is sung. We are the rainbow nation. We are diverse. We are different. We are unique. We are South Africans. The time is now to stand up and acknowledge that fact. You are South African and you must be part of the solution on the road to making South Africa live up to its potential. Just like Steve Biko introduced the idea of Black consciousness during a time of struggle in this country, now is the time to move forward and form a South African consciousness: we need to free ourselves from the past, free ourselves from struggling, free ourselves from worldly oppression. It is all in the mind and you will forever be stuck in that vicious cycle of pity and blame, unless you make the conscious mindshift to freedom, to unity, to ubuntu and be proud of the fact that you are South African.

Our heritage is too rich and too amazing to be swept under the rug of shame and embarrassment. The time is here for Africa, for South Africa and for us, South Africans. Are you going to be stubborn and stand back and let South Africa fall further into a pit of despair? Or are you going to stand up and help build our wonderful nation into a country that is destined to flourish?