Deep conversations

As a young adult from the Limpopo Province with three little brothers my fear has always been what might be happening to them in my absence as I live far away from them. Recently I went home to spend time with family, and was very happy to notice that my little brothers are fast becoming little men.

They even respond by saying that they are cool when I greet them (the results of trash movies in the SABC?) As I come from a village I know how dangerous a place it is for kids to grow because of little entertainment, and with retards like that Julius Malema guy in the lookout for the youths who will die for Jacob Zuma to rule the country from behind bars, I am really concerned of my little brothers.

As a big brother I decided to call them so as to get to know what kind of influences they have been getting since the unfortunate statements of Malema and Vavi. I must say that I was very impressed by what they all had to say about Julius Malema's statements in particular. The second oldest, Moloko, said to me, 'brother, that guy is a shame to the people of the whole country,' really, I asked, suspecting that was second hand information to me.

Yes, responded my brother, because the teacher said so to us, he continued, with my suspicions of second hand information now confirmed. The other two confirmed that it is generally unfortunate that Malema leads such a gigantic organisation like the ANC Youth League. Now it was really my time to get first hand information from the boys about yet another unfortunate statement by Malema about his favourite man, Jacob Zuma to captain the country with orange clothes (behind bars), possibly with Shabir Shaik as either the deputy president, or with an office at the presidency, only from behind bars this time.

I did not expect my little ones to be like the Moeletsi Mbekis, Aubry Matshiqis, Steven Friemans or Suresh Roberts in the discussion, rather I expected them to listen and learn from me as a big brother. Damn I was wrong, the captain, Moloko again, laughed his clean lungs away. Bhutiza (brother), as I refer to them, why do you laugh so hysterically when I haven't even finished?, I asked. That is just so ridiculous, how can someone who is serving a sentence be trusted with a country's biggest and most prestigious office, he asked back, still battling to stop laughing, the youngest and quietest was now showing his singing prowess by entertaining us with Jacob Zuma's signature nguni song, Awleth'umshini wam.'

The conversation was now really heating up, and quiet honestly I felt challenged by the little village boys with no DSTV access or computers to play games, and I was proud of them. They really challenged me when they asked my opinion on the matter, and then I realised that for the first time I have to indulge with my boys without a soccer ball involved. I told them that I was glad that I do not have to do a lot of convincing when it comes to the kind of man that Malema is, and that if anything, they shouldn't listen to people like him, retards.

That South Africa should be led by Jacob Zuma is one thing, but that he should do so even from behind bars is an insult to the people of South Africa, and even shameful because of the authority it came from. Malema is a threat to South Africa because he is a man apparently good enough to lead the youth of this country, and that the African National Congress is still this quite about his endless militant statements is a shame indeed.

The good thing, however, is that young people like my little brothers are aware of just how pathetic he is, and dismiss him as nothing short of a retard with little if any information at all. I must also pay homage to the teachers, particularly those in the rural areas like where I come from who are indulging in such issues with the little ones from early on. I can't wait to talk about the Zimbabwe talks or the American elections with my boys soon, they made me realise that we are all learners on this earth.

First appeared in the Cape Times