In the last week alone, my husband-Mik, and I have been working intensively at tying up lose ends for Voxpop Africa media to be up and running, we have now reached a point where we can exhale and concentrate on our creativity. We went to listen and record a talk, by the esteemed Dr Mamphela Ramphele, co-founder of the black consciousness movement. She was launching her book called, ‘Laying Ghosts to Rest’, a book I am still reading and will hopefully share about in the future,

Dr Ramphele epitomises the mother figure of my people, she exudes confidence and has such grace and dignity in her manner. Even though she is slight of built, she gives the impression of having such strength and wisdom. It was an honour to even be in her presence, to listen to her views about our country.

In her talk, she spoke rather  critically about her beloved country, she acknowledges the lengths we have come since 1994 and has the honesty to speak out about the aspects of our government that need some attention. She speaks out about what transformation is and how it can be realised in our young democracy, she touched on what is currently happening in South Africa with the xenophobic attacks.

She appealed to all of us as civil society, to mobilise our communities and be active in bringing about change in our country.

She emphasised the importance of not sitting back and turning our gaze to the government with the expectations of them solving all the problems of this country.

It was a truly inspiring talk, bits of which we have recorded and will post on Voxpop Africa media website. 

Also in the past week, we went to the Chris Rock show at the Grand west casino, Cape Town.

It was phenomenal! Chris Rock is an opinion leader of great standing and has got one of the greatest talents of bringing important messages to people in the form of comedy

I had never before been to a live comedy show of that standard, it was quite an experience. It was interesting to note that even when Chris Rock made serious comments about serious matters, people seemed to be only too ready to laugh, I wondered if the messages were not lost amid the laughter.

I accept that in the South Africa I live in right now, it is highly unlikely that one would find a truly integrated audience for such a show, especially in Cape Town.

I was very keen to see what the turn out would reflect in term of demographics, I must say, I was not too surprised to see that there people who were there we obviously those who had spending power. It seems like even good things like an evening of comedy, are not necessarily available for the person who has less money. In Cape Town, black people are few and far in between when it comes to such events.

It makes me wonder, what one could do to make such experiences as I had, available to the people in our townships for instance.

I know people in Khayelitsha, Manenberg and Gugulethu love Chris Rock and many others like him, however the people of these areas might not get a chance to see him in person ever.

Its always a bitter sweet moment for me, whenever I happen to be at an event where I am in the minority, to be aware of how much it would mean for many other people like me to be a part of any such event.

I guess, as they say , we are all equal, but some of us are more equal than others.

That is a sad reality indeed.