An open letter, to the so called “born frees”

Letters to the Editor

Fellow South Africans, sons and daughters of motherland, compatriots and combatants. One of the greatest African philosopher Cheikh Anta Diop provoked my thinking and triggered my mind in his pre-colonial Black Africa book, when he said.

“The generation that followed did not have the same concerns, none of its members attempted to follow the example of the past generation. There was no longer anyone with the noble determination to get to know the great men of the world, or if there were some individuals consumed with this curiosity, they were few in number.”

Maybe Anta Diop was a soothsayer and he was prophesising what we observe in our country.

My patience is seriously tempered with by this mushroomed terminology called “born frees”. When I soon realise the rapid pace at which it is gaining momentum through various media houses and mainly used by former oppressors while canvassing, I could smell a rat. Recent utterances made by Hellen Zille in saying the so called born frees are emancipators of their own, fully proved my thoughts accurate.

This falsification is deliberately orchestrated by imperialist with a primary aim of isolating those born after 1994 from the rest of the society. They so undermine you to such an extent that they are under the impression that you do not know your history and that of your country. They think you know not of the viciousness and ferociousness of Apartheid system and its deeds.

They think you know not that Apartheid and colonialism is responsible and accountable for inequalities and imbalances existing in this country. Which occurred for more than 360 years of authoritarian and totalitarian rule, while serving only 7 percent of the population.

Their divide and rule strategy through Segregation Act and Group areas Act is synonymous to this new trend. The system made us to label and discriminate against each other on the basis of race, tribe, area of residence etc.Therefore, describing and classifying you as “born frees” simply intends to detach you from history and brutal experiences our parents suffered at their hands.

They believe you are blind that you cannot even notice that you are not yet free. Yes, you are not yet free because the repercussions and ramifications of their Land Act of 1913 remains a reality, where they forcefully took land of our forefathers.

They cannot claim us free because our minerals resources are still at their disposal. We are not yet free because the economy of our motherland remains in the hands of the minority. We are not yet free because Alexandra remains a total opposite of Sandton. Now that they are desperate for your votes, they call you born frees.

The line of ill-intentional Imperialist, equipped with a ferocious erudition, is perpetually committing their well-known crime against your intellect.

By becoming guilty of a deliberate falsification of the history of our country. Hence today they even want to claim Nelson Mandela of the ANC. They pursue this propaganda with the help of their Western counter parts trough media.

Their ideology is based on a moral and intellectual swindle and it is born at the opportune moment since you will be eligible to cast your votes next year.

When Hector Peterson at the young of 13 took to the street and challenges the then system, he was younger than me and you, yet politically conscious.

When Solomon Kalusha Mahlangu faced the gallows in 1979, he fearlessly raised his hand in the ANC salute, and met his death at the hands of a racist regime. He was at of our age, yet politically conscious. These are young lions whom we should allay Anta Diop`s fear by drawing inspiration and political will from.

We are the grand grand children of John Langalibalele Dube and Sefako Makgatho, we are the grand children of Pixley ka Seme and Alfred Xuma. We are privileged to be associated with a stalwart and world icon Nelson Mandela. Who taught us to forgive but never to forget.

We are proud of courageous fighting spirit displayed by these leaders to liberate us politically, and we are certain that our votes next year will retain this government to attain economic freedom. Only then, we will be free.

Let us dirty our hands, oil our machinery and defend this revolution.

Mokete ke Mohlakoana
Meqheleng, Ficksburg