SABC ban of violent protest visuals smells propaganda and politics

The media has an important role in society, there are Acts that requires public broadcasters to provide a varied range of programmes in the
fields of information, culture, education and entertainment. They are also responsible for providing a reliable news service.

The public broadcaster can help to maintain diversity and play an important role in fulfilling the public's right to know. The SABC also rely on the public funds and the public right to know is a reason for its existence.

One can not deny the fact that the media like any other sector should not harm, but promote environment and sociocultural aspects.  We need the media that is social responsible,  and social responsibility by definition is: is ethics that guide any action, be it in media or other organizations, that put an obligation towards environment, society, culture and economy.

Today we have social responsibility in the mass media  which provides that one’s right to free expression must be balanced against the private rights of others and against vital society interest. one believes that news reporting should not affect the social order but it must be objective and of public interest.

The decision by SABC to ban visuals of violence when reporting community protests in South Africa is very strange.  It is the very SABC that go out its own ways to feed our kids with violent programms.  They  play movies that contains too much violence and sopies that contains too much sex and nudity.  Today hlaudi motsoneng tells us that news reporting can incite violence,  what a contradiction!!

The  audience have the right to know what is going on in their country and the reporting must be real,  and not sanitised .Showing people burning schools would not harm the public but it would help us improve as a society in terms of security and other aspects.  For example if you show people barricades roads and burning tires a lot of questions will be asked about our police ability to enforce law and order.  In that way spike debate and improve our security system and our people's behavior. For instance,  Pretoria protester have learnt that burning of schools is not the right thing to do and even some of vuwani protester were actually in defense and protective of their schools. We want to see the visuals of those conducting criminal activities being apprehended,  and we want to be the judges.  

Banning  of violent protest Visuals doesn't solve any thing it only contradicts with audience right to know which is crucial. The audience have the capabilities to interpret the news themselves and can't be guided to a certain interpretation. 

Sometimes I am accused of creating complexity out of something that is perhaps very simple and straightforward
to others because I spend time analyzing things. But if people can look at SABC decision juxtapost the current Paranoia of the ruling party,  perhaps some would agree with me that the SABC has a hidden agenda, and they are banning violent visuals to protect the current government. There can not be any sensible justification by the broadcaster,  their general program content is violent as it has been mentioned on this writing.  The current government is paranoid after what happened to Brazilian government and they believe that there is underground forces that want to overthrow the government.  Remember jessie Duarte utterances? "many of the protests were not about service delivery but fights over power and resources.  The sad thing about our country is that wherethe ANC has truly delivered you find the worst nature protests. The reality is that BRICS (Brazil ‚ Russia‚ India‚ China and South Africa) is being attacked at the moment. What happened to Rousseff in Brazil could happen so easily here tomorrow because of what people call a colour revolution‚”. The ruling party believes that the protests are less about service delivery and more about a fight about resources and power.
"And so are we in trouble? Yes. And what must we do? We must close ranks now". Closing ranks start by controlling what people must see and hear,  you  start to promulgate propaganda and making people to believe that all is well. 

In the same vein Gwede Mantashe said “We are aware of the programme that takes young people to the United States for six weeks then bring them back and plant them everywhere in the campuses.”
"We must defend the revolution and defend every attack on the ANC structures,". As if it was not enough COSATU has came out with an election powerful phrase like "Defend the revolution".  The question is against who?.. So It is not a coincidence at all,  unless they can convince some of us.

One on one with Vazaya

This time  The Only Truth blog website have a  one on one with one of the son of the soil,  the all rounder of Xitsonga music,  get to know the artist who has an impeccable talent,  Mr Mackson Shirinda.

The Only Truth: When did you start your music career and What inspired you 
Vazaya: I started my music career in 1998 and was inspired by my father General MD Shirinda.  He is a great singer and has spiked zeal for me to want to sing, I wanted to emulate and walk on his foot steps. I also mingled with artists like Matshwa Bemuda whom I liked his music so much,  it also kept my dream to be a singer alive.

The Only Truth:Your place of birth
Vazaya: I was born in a village called Makhasa in Malamulele,  under the Hosi Maxeleni 

The Only Truth: Can you briefly give us your background
Vazaya: I would not say things were rough when I grew up,  I had almost everything a child needs that includes the necessary support and guidance. My family encouraged me and my siblings to go to school and learn.  I followed the music career because of the the desire and passion instead of everything else.

The Only Truth: how can you describe your music career in detail 
Vazaya: like I said I  started singing in 1998,  we  formed a group called miyakayaka na vo  makwavo and released two albums.  I left the group and worked with penny penny and was playing drums for his Makhwaya albums. I also worked with  Gezani Thomas Mzamani where I  also played drums and key board.  I was also a drummer for Flora and Sunglen when they were recording,  in a nutshell I worked with lots of artists.  Having played drums to lots of artists,  I ended up starting my own thing Producing people like Xindendefu and also people like Minge swikoti Magaza.  I have produced almost twenty artists,  I have got a mini studio for programming and also work with other people for further production.

The Only Truth: How would you like to be remembered 
Vazaya: I want to be remembered as a person who sings songs that empower people with knowledge and teaches them the way of life.  Most of my songs talks about family issues and also guide and teach those who are single

The Only Truth: How is it like to work with Rhangani and Dumusani 
Vazaya: it is life changing,  I have been uplifted from the place I was in the past.  I  have personally grown up and working with these two guys has changed some of the things in my life.

The Only Truth: Is this your first  CD
Vazaya: No,  actually it is my  8th, but we can say it is the first because I have twirled the style of singing and the first in my collaboration with Rhangani and Dumusani,  and for this reason we call it goal number one.

The Only Truth: Why did you feel it was important to sing about bushiri track no 6
Vazaya: when I walked around people have been talking a lot of things about Bushiri.  Some  talked good of him while others bad mouthed  him.  I then asked people who believe in his teachings and they told me a lot of good things about him.  I then realized that what people perceive about Bushiri  is not true,  I then decided  to write a song to  change people perceptions  and to make them realize that judging other people without facts is wrong.

The Only Truth: how do you compare yourself with other artists 
Vazaya: Other artists just compose music for dancing with no message what so ever.  There is no intent to build the nation nor to educate the public.  As much as I  make people dance I also share my knowledge in life and educate the public

The Only Truth: Thank you Vazaya for your time 

Vazaya: Thanks 

Loise van schoor being a government beneficiary a huge contradiction

I read with shock an article on the Sunday times 22 may 2016,  it is alleged that Van Schoor is benefiting from a government multi million Rand land reform programme. The  land reform programme main objective is to redress the injustices of the past and inequalities in South Africa.  

It is well documented that South Africa is one of the most racially unequal countries in the world.  In fact If one of the developed countries like America still experience the racial wealth Gap, in which a typical White household has 16 times the wealth of a Black one,  then what about South Africa? (forbe magazine, 26 March 2015). 

Let me rather not dwell much on the wealth gap,  which is a very sensitive issue currently in South Africa

The department of Agriculture is the only one that can tell us how did  the mass murderer ended up being the role model and an important member of the the public.  I mean the guy can not even tell how many people  he killed,  during apartheid he haphazardly shot at everything that moves. Killing people  like birds.. Pha!  Pha!  Pha! One by one .. Today he is the man of the people,  he is giving back to the same people by securing himself a paying job from government.. Mmmm! Maybe one would understand if he was volunteering,  I have seen remorseful sinners who turn up to be good Samaritans.  Remorse is the first step when you want forgiveness. 

Shock and pain does not just vanish  like what we see in Nigerian movies.  The dead are still dead, and sleepless nights of sorrow might be dragging on to the victims family. However, we are a forgiving nation! Let us not contradict the land reform,  let us rather build an equal Society   

Vuwani residents experiencing systematic forced removal

We pride ourselves and even go as far as coining phrases that has become the statement of core principles,  phrases like "people shall govern".  This is the most powerful phrase that made people to believe in themselves and spiked lots hope and  strength. 

Vuwani used to be a nice, quite and peaceful place that you would go to relax and to enjoy the state of solitude in a diverse and beautiful vegetation that surrounds the area. Today it has been turned into a no go area,  schools are burnt left, right and center,  while the vegetation is used as a shield and hiding place for protesters against the police.  More than 60000 learners have been left stranded,  denied their constitutional rights to education. 

But  if you look at it critically,  the government is the one that has engeniered the problem.  There would not be a protest,  had the demarcation board not made such declaration that vuwani be incorporated into a new municipality.

All the vuwani residents are saying is that they do not want to be incorporated into the new mysterious municipality.  They say you can form another municipality but please don't include us because we are happy where we are. 

Another problem is how the municipality was formed,  remember that the malamulele community also burnt tires and properties calling for a new municipality to be formed.  So the municipality was not formed peacefully.

This is the problem that will never be solved unless the process is reversed.  If the demarcation board succeed in imposing the new municipality to vuwani people then I foresee lots of service delivery protest to come.  Any dissatisfaction fication would amount to violence protest because you have incorporated bunch of unhappy people.

Blesser and blessie pure evil

Some people glorify the Blesser and Blessie trend as a proper arrangement where two parties are direct with one another with no strings attached. For people to even think that the Blesser Blessie is a new trend is pathetic and being ignorant to say the  least.  Suger baby and Suger dady has been there  for ages. The only thing that is new is  the word "blesser",  coined by those who are determined to continue to exploit the have not. If  you critically analyze and scrutinize the age gap between the Blesser and the blessie you would realize that the gap is huge.  It is not the peers having this particular kinda like business relationship. Pure prostitution!!!! of course, It depends on how you define it. Those in denial would even call a black colour  white just to protect their course. Honestly, humans have exchanged money and goods for sex
for thousands of years, and indeed it
seems that any society that begins to develop material wealth soon develops some form of prostitution. People think it is  ok for a "Blesser" to hand over a token to a "blessie" in return for a specific sexual  favor because they view
postitutes as a "special"  group of outcasts walking the streets half naked or bare.

The Bible says the rich rule over the poor.. Amen!!.. Most people accept that life is not fair, but the word fairness gets used a lot when we talk about income inequality. Is it right that some have so much material comfort and security, while others have so little? On the other hand, is it proper for the poor of the poorest to engage in prostitution just because they have nothing ?

I fully agree with Barbara when she said "it is actually more expensive to be poor than not poor."  for example as she highlighted,  If you can’t afford the first month's rent and security deposit you need in order to rent an apartment, you may get stuck in an overpriced residential motel. If you don’t have a kitchen or even a refrigerator and
microwave, you will find yourself falling back on convenience store food, which in addition to its nutritional deficits is also alarmingly overpriced. If you need a loan, as most poor people eventually do, you will end up paying an interest rate many times more than what a more affluent borrower would be charged.

This where those who have means,  the rich and wealthy come in.. They come at a time when you are vulnerable and stranded, and dangle the carrot that is difficult to refuse.

Ngano 'Fairytale'

Ngano is a Tshivenda word for fairytales. Ngano are usually related by senior members of the family, particularly mothers and grandmothers. Family members gather around tshivhaso (fireplace) in autumn and winter to enjoy the harvest after toiling in the fields in spring and summer. Storytellers take turns to relate Ngano. The storyteller starts by saying “ salungano salungano” , meaning ‘ like a fairytale like a fairytale' , and the listeners respond by saying “saalungano” . The storyteller tells the fairytale and listeners keep saying “saalungano” after every sentence made by the storyteller. This is to indicate that they are listening and are interested in the fairytale told. The storyteller can also stand up and dance to dramatise what s/he is relating.

The characters in the Ngano are usually humans and animals. Animals are given a voice and portrayed as interacting with humans and talking like humans. Animals can be portrayed as mischievous, intelligent, stupid, cunning, unreliable, evil, kind, etc. A rabbit/hare ( muvhuda) is portrayed as both intelligent and mischievous, and it goes by the name of Sankambe, while a baboon (pfene ) is portrayed as stupid and goes by the name of Mudzhou.

Hyenas, owls, and snakes (with the exception of pythons) are the most hated creatures in the Tshivenda culture since they are regarded as the agents of evil. It is believed that witches and wizards use them for witchcraft purposes. This belief is reflected in all fairytales where hyenas, owls, and poisonous snakes are featured. The Tshivenda word for hyena is phele , while an owl is called gwitha . A person whose behaviour and conduct are regarded as despicable is usually referred to as a phele or gwitha.

A jackal ( phungubwe ) is portrayed as a thief, unreliable, and selfish. Carnivores such as lion ( ndau ), leopard ( didinngwe ), and cheetah ( nngwe ) play interchangeable roles. They are sometimes portrayed as bloodthirsty creatures, while at other times they are portrayed as saviours. A lion, like in most African cultures, is usually portrayed as the King of all animals.

Elephant ( ndou ), the most beloved and respected animal in the Tshivenda culture is always portrayed as the wisest of all animals and as the Lion's chief advisor.

The python ( tharu ) is the only snake that is revered in the Tshivenda culture. It is seen as a symbol of fertility and long lasting life. That is why maidens who perform the domba dance join hands and arms and move like a python. It is also believed that Lake Fundudzi , the only natural lake in South Africa , is guarded by pythons that live beneath its waters. It is also believed that, in the ancient days, these pythons would drink most of the water from the lake when they were upset a dn that there would be drought in the whole of Vendaland. These pythons had to be appeased by the community through the sacrificing of a virgin who would disappear into the lake and would never be seen again. The ritual to appease the pythons would be led by the Netshiavha/Netshiheni royals who are still regarded as the custodians of the lake.

The Fairytale of the Virgin who Caused the Drought

There is a fairytale about a girl whose marriage was arranged by her family and her husband's family. The girl agreed to marry the man even though she had never met him. She went to live in her husband's homestead but months passed without her seeing her husband. When she wanted to know where he husband was, the first wife, Vho-Nengome, would tell her that she was not allowed to set her eyes on him, and that all she needed to do was to cook for him and feel him when he visited her at night.

The girl would prepare lunch for her husband everyday, and would leave the meals in the hut. She would then go to work the fields and return late in the afternoon. She would always find clean plates and would be told that her husband ate the meals. Curiosity got the better of her and one day she hid in the bushes to see the husband she had never met. At lunchtime she saw a huge python making its way to the hut where she left the lunch. She then proceeded to the hut and saw the python eating the food she prepared. She screamed and the python left the hut and disappeared from sight.

The girl went back home and told her parents she was not going to have a snake for a husband. But, unfortunately, the lake started drying and the rains stopped falling. There was drought in the land. Community leaders consulted diviners, chief priests, and rainmakers to no avail. Rituals were performed but still the heavens refused to open up. The drought continued for years.

Then one night Chief Netshiavha/Netshiheni was visited by Raluvhimba (the Venda High God) who told him that the rain gods had been insulted, and the virgin who insulted the gods should be sacrificed. Chief Netshiavha/Netshiheni did not know who the guilty virgin was. He called a community meeting and told the community what Raluvhimba had told him.

Diviners were summoned to point out the culprit. They threw their divination bones ( thangu ), and revealed that the guilty virgin was the one married to a python, and that she angered the rain gods by casting her eyes on the python.

After hearing that, the girl leapt forward and confessed that she was the one who cast her eyes on her python husband. She even declared that she was ready to be sacrificed for the sake of the community.

The day was set when the entire community would gather for a religious ritual. Mpambo , sorghum beer used in religious rituals, was brewed.

Oxen, sheep and goats were slaughtered on the day of the ritual. The chief priest, tshifhe , announced that the girl should take the meat and the beer to the lake and offer them to the gods. The girl obeyed the instruction and walked to the lake carrying mpambo and meat. She went into the lake while everybody was watching. Suddenly there was thunder. The girl started disappearing from sight, and the heavens opened up. It is said that it rained for seven days and nights.

The domba dance, performed by maidens, is a way of paying tribute to the pythons at Lake Fundudzi .

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