African JAG

Another Face of South Africa

In previous “ African Wind, ” I featured the interview with my Rastafarian friend (B.Z. George, age 49) regarding “ Apartheid ” which cannot be ignored when speaking about South Africa.
This issue is the continuation of that interview. This part of the interview concentrates on “ present South Africa, ” after 15 years of post-apartheid.
Acknowledge the truth that are really happening in South Africa now. This interview was conducted in March 2009.
Q. Tell us about ANC (African National Congress). What is ANC?
A. ANC is a movement. It's a movement that was started by our ancestors. A political party which should support people at the bottom of the heap.
Q. Was Mr. Nelson Mandela an ANC?
A. Yes.
Q. I understand the activities of ANC have led to the end of Apartheid. What are the current ANC like compared to the ANC back then?
A. Changed. In recent years, black people are elected as President, the Congress consists of various races, now being called a “rainbow nation.” Back in the days, ANC tried very hard, and brought us a good change. But the current ANC, you'll see politicians in corruptions, Zuma who is supposed to be in indictment is still on his post as ANC president,…it's full of problems. It's not the ANC itself, it's these people within the ANC that's bad.
Q. I heard that ANC is currently divided into two, the young & upper generations, but is that true?
A. It's not the first time that ANC got separated into two. I was born in 1960 so this is something I heard from my father, but the same thing happened in 1950s which offshoot the PAC (Pan Africanist Conference). Everything goes through changes. Some may resist changes. That's life. But compromise is necessary at times in order to make things progress. My father was an ANC, but upon rise of the PAC, he switched to PAC. Because he believed that Africanist should be Africanist, that they should have their freedom & their land. The housings around here are all from the days of Apartheid. Upon achievement of freedom, we expected them to say “you've been paying your rent so you can have this house. Be independent,” but we still pay our rent. The road outside hasn't been paved or changed since the 60s, they only pave the roads that tourists would see. Once you go off the main road, the pavement is horrible. There are lots of people who are disappointed with the ANC.
Q. A new president may be born from ANC upon the president election in April?
A. Yeah.
Q. What do you think of the possibility of ANC President Zuma to be elected as the President? I heard that he had paid a fortune to avoid being accused of rape, but…
A. There's a huge possibility of him being elected as President. There's been a lot of bad rumors about him arising one after the other. But no one knows the truth. At any rate, like all the accusations of corruptions, current ANC carry so many problems.
Q. I understand ANC is in conflict with another party?
A. I guess you're talking about IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party)?
Q. If the conflict between ANC & IFP turns into a war, there may be no 2010 World Cup happening in South Africa.
A. Most likely, yes. The problem between IFP & ANC continues since the Apartheid period.
Q. Are they both same tribal family?
A. I was about to mention that. IFP is more of Zulu people, and on the other hand, ANC is Xhosa. Mr. Mandela was also a Xhosa. And ANC President Zuma is a Zulu. This is basically a conflict between Xhosa & Zulu.
To us Rastafarians, both Zulu & Xhosa are same human beings. Xhosa derived from Zulu. Southern Africa used be all Zulu. By war and other reasons, people scattered, and some cut their cheeks, others symbolized huge holes on their ears to create new tribal families. And new languages were born too. As a result of King Shaka Zulu let his people fight with white colonists, lots of different tribal families were born, but they all stem out of the same roots. Sad thing.
Q. In South Africa, Zulu dominates majority of its population, isn't it?
A. That's right.
Q. How would ANC affect the future?
A. I personally think that it will give negative effects.
Q. For example?
A. Abortions & gay marriage which ANC legally allow are ungodly. We were created by Adam & Eve, and we must send children out into this world. I can't agree with abortion whatsoever. Babies being murdered and unable to born, …is like killing our future. Can't agree to such thing. There are some more issues to be solved. Current South Africa isn't in a very good state.
Q. How do you think South Africa would change after the 2010 World Cup?
A. I think there will be both good & bad changes. There maybe more jobs, but you may have to throw away your pride and compromise. Because you may be forced to obey Western people from outside. I can't explain it very well, but that's a bad change. There are good & bad sides to things. Especially us Rastafarians try to look things from different angles. What concerns us, are the mal-effects that the things coming in from the West give to our lives. You know, because South Africa is being flexible enough to be the gateway to Africa for Western people.
Q. For instance, a lot of people in “advanced country” are most likely to be not aware of the current state with ANC & IFP, and may think there are no tribal wars in South Africa, but that may change if ANC-IFP conflict becomes major issue.
A. Yeah. I don't think anybody would want to come to South Africa in that case.

Q. If the political state stabilize, and restore public safety & order, South Africa has whole lot of resources, enough to bring future betterment, from tourism resources such as safaris, Cape Point & Durban, mineral & energy resources such as diamonds, gold, uranium & natural gas, tasty fish, beef, wines, etc, etc. nicely paved roads that enables cars to run smoother than those in Japan would give various potentials including distribution of products.
15 years after the end of Apartheid, now that the social situation have finally begun to head into a better direction, if the conflict between the two parties intensify into an armed conflict or something, every effort made til now would become worthless.
How do you feel about that?
A. That's true. They need to avoid conflict. ANC & IFP should reconsider what they're doing, and stop the conflict. What's really important now is for everyone to become one and make our country a better one….
Q. What are other issues that South Africa has?
A. Hmmm…there are a lot, but I would say AIDS. The state of the epidemic is especially serious amongst young people.
Q. Are you talking about Gugulethu? Or South Africa in general?
A. It's an issue of the whole South Africa.
Q. Are there a lot of AIDS patients in Gugulethu?
A. A lot.
Q. I see a lot of people do not use condoms, but why is that? Is it for a religious reason?
A. Don't know. I think it's simply because with it, it doesn't feel good. Regardless of the risk of infection.

Q. Are there supports from NGOs from other countries?
A. Yes we do. They're working hard for us. The problem is the acts of the young kids in South Africa. At one point, the situation with AIDS got better with the help from the outside NGOs. Even now, the situation has improved amongst the people living in the urban area. But the people in poverty that are left behind, especially the kids in slums can't even go to schools, and are in terrible self-despair. They use drugs, having sex,…in Gugulethu, drinking problem is especially serious.
Q. Even the children?
A. Yeah. It's the issue amongst children I'm talking about. It's horrible especially in the slums. Drinking alcohol, doing drugs, stealing, beaten to death,…lots of boys are giving away & wasting their lives. Now, even the 13, 14 year-old girls are taking drugs.
Q. What kind of drugs are they?
A. Mostly a drug called TICK. Could buy it for $2-3, I think.
Q. Is it like cocaine?
A. You put it in a bag & inhale. And when you get high, you don't sleep. You wouldn't stop cleaning your room no matter how clean the room is. When you inhale it, you never sleep. Your body is abused, and will soon be dead.
Q. Which country is the TICK produced in?
A. Don't know. TICK is a white powder. Dangerous & cheap. It's too cheap, it spread fast & vast. It comes in from the districts of the “colored.” Whites are involved too. Alcohol & drugs are the major problems here. Children are our future. A situation where children are overdosed with alcohol & drugs is hopeless.
Q. How was the state of drug abuse during the Apartheid?
A. There were abuse, but wasn't as bad as now. Now different drugs such as cocaine and heroin come in from South America & other oversea countries easily too…it's worst as ever. Especially after cheap TICK started to come in.
Q. What do you think of the current state of South Africa?
A. Current state of South Africa…let's see. I thought there would be more freedom, but…democracy,…somehow, democracy wouldn't work in Africa. This, I can surely say. It might work a bit, but is it something that fit to the people of Africa?
Q. What are the problems you yourself have right now?
A. That I don't have a job. I had a job during the Apartheid. Unlike now, back then, you were eligible to receive benefits if you work for 20 years or so. Now, the contract period of jobs is 6 months & 12 months. That's it, end of your job.
Q. I know they're currently building a shopping mall in Gugulethu, but don't they offer any job vacancies?
A. I wish they do. It's so hard being unemployed….
Q. If you shift your thoughts a little, I think you could say that it's not difficult to start a business.
A. Of course. My mother used to run her own business. She plucked chicken & was making chicken dishes. It would be nice if I could run a guest house or internet cafe´, and coffee shop. My brother is a good cook. I'll treat you to his dishes on your next visit.
Q. Thank you. Lastly, your wishes for the children of our future? Good health. If you're healthy, you could do anything.
Interview: Noriko ASANO / Translation: Masafumi KAJITANI
It is true that compared to other African countries, South Africa is blessed in various aspects. In terms of resources such as tourism resources, energy resources, mineral resources, etc…. If you go to urban districts, it does look as if there's no difference with the Western countries. Roads are beautifully paved, which cannot even compare to those in other African countries. Considering the success with the World Cup next year, infrastructures are being built in a great rush.
Although the privy is still at a level of a developing country. The economic dispairity is especially wide, incomparable even to that of the advanced countries.
What's surprising is the fact that regardless of such state, not even the poorest people in poverty district are feeling a fatal despair. They believe in the potentials within themselves & amongst their friends. I think that it comes from their confidence that they have lived through the worst times of their history called Apartheid, and they have a strong desire to reborn or rebuilt their own country. I think that they are truly strong people for the fact that they could believe such potentials.
One thing that needs to be concerned would be the children that are born in slums, who are being addicted in drug & alcohol abuse.
When Mr. Nelson Mandela was elected as the first black President of South Africa, he declared a free education for the country. Although it still hasn't become a reality. The government do provide free education program for the children of poorest class, but since the quality of public schools is so poor, their parents tend to resist the program, get a job instead, and have their children go to private schools instead. But there's no job.
I cordially hope that the World Cup this time would lead the realities of such children into a better direction, and to enable children to see a brighter future of their own.
B.Z. George who accepted my interview offer this time, isn't wealthy, but is always calm and wears a gentle smile on his face. His house is constantly welcoming friends, a lot of people respect and follow him.
His son, Crosby, is a rapper who actively pursuing his career, and also take part in “African JAG vol.2” album that's currently in production. Crosby's aim is to tell the world about the realities that he & his people live in, through his words on beats. Open up your ears to their voices. …I think that from awareness, things start to happen.
I intend to continue interviewing people living in various situations, regardless of his or her name. Hopefully, by doing so, I would be able to deliver the realities of the people living on this same planet at the same time.
African JAG Producer / Noriko ASANO
NOTE: This interview was conducted in March 2009. Upon the president election that took place a month after the interview, ANC President Zuma was elected as the first Zulu president. The concerned armed conflict between ANC & IFP hasn't taken place as of now.
I've heard countless times from the people in various areas who experienced the Apartheid saying “we're sick and tired of people cutting each other's throat. Because we are the country that experienced the Apartheid, we want to be one, transcending tribal borders, to make this country a better place.”

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