We have got many stories, jokes and poems from our readers. So now we are going to have a special page for our readers’ writings.
SOME POEMS
THESE ARE TIMES OF STRESS AND STRAIN
Gone are the times of rest
Forgotten are the times of peace
Rest and peace are things of the past
These are times of stress and strain
Frustration rules our personalities
But frustrated we have nowhere to go
And frustrated we have nothing to do
Get up, stand up
These are times of stress and strain
Frustrated we poison ourselves with violence
Oh yes, easy way to eternal freedom
Blessed is the blood shed for…
The freedom of a black man.
These are times of stress and strain.
from a poem by Zet-el King,
Mphuluzi Township.
A BLACK DOMESTIC WORKER STANDS UP
I’m going to rise
From inner city blues
Sick and tired
Of ghettos
Slums
TB
Tired of dry lands
Stinking toilets
Saying ‘Yes, sir,
Asseblief, baas
Ja, miesies
Dankie
Askies dat ek leef, kleinbaas’
I saw
My father’s broken fields
Even from a distance
It smelt
Bad
I will load all my goods
On Oom Solly’s donkiekar
I will pack in the old man
And the old lady
Wipe the kids’ snotnoses.
I’m tired of hand-me-downs
Shut-me-ups
Keep-me-outs
Messing-me-arounds.
I have had enough from you,
Miesies 41
My son
Is going to make his own rules
Say who can
And who can’t
We will put African angels
On the greeting cards
An Indian Father Christmas
And a non-racial Christchild
In the Jewish Mary’s arms
I have had enough of your
Baasmiesieskleinbasskleinnooi minds
This meid means business.
from a poem by Muriel Winterburg
PORT ELIZABETH
THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA
First we have money
Money is also called capital
A capitalist is someone who likes money
Capitalism is a government that deals with money
Capitalist government is like the government in South Africa.
The capitalist wants profits, big profits.
He is selfish —
He thinks only of himself and his profits.
He is greedy —
He wants all the money he can get.
He is hard —
He makes his workers work long hours and gives
them little money
This is the form of government in our land.
from a poem by Wandile
SOWETO
INKATHA
What is the aim of Inkatha? Their leader says he is not a man of violence. But why do they do these things to us? They kill us, shoot us, torture us and stab us. They are violent in the things they do. They are liars because they can’t keep their promise of peace. Why do they do these things to us when we are one nation. Why can’t we come together and fight for the rights of black people?
Mr S Masikane
PIETERMARITZBURG
NO KILLING, PLEASE
Greetings to all the readers. We are fighting for freedom and not apartheid. But we are killing our brothers and sisters. I say forward to black people. But let’s not kill each other. Viva Comrades. Teargas and bullets won’t stop us!
Mpulana Segaswana
SOSHANGUVE
A READER WANTS HELP
I have a problem. My husband had an accident on 3rd of March 1984. He was on his way home from work. He never arrived home. I went to look for him and I found him in Natalspruit hospital. He could not speak when I saw him. He had wounds in the head, on his left shoulder and both his legs were broken. He also had a big stomach operation. He did not remember what happened. The doctors said people from the railways brought him to the hospital. They found him near the railway line but they said there was blood on the road nearby. The doctors think he was hit by a car. If anyone saw this accident, please write to me. I want to know what really happened.
My address is 981 Klipspruit, P O Pimville, 1808.
Dumisile Ndhlovu
LET’S NOT FIGHT
Since I started to read your magazine, I have learnt a lot. For example I have learnt about Mr Edwin Mofutsanyana, Fanie Kuduka, Gencorand how they treated our fellow black brothers. I was once a member of a union. The chairman did not tell me enough. I have learnt what I was looking for in Learn and Teach.
Please find out for me and other readers how civic associations began. We need to know more than they write in the newspaper.
Lastly you told us about the UDF, Cosas and other organisations. Please tell us about Azapo and their members. Find out how the fighting between the UDF and Azapo can be stopped.
Derick Motsepe
DUBE
A JOKE
Three years ago there were three young men. They finished school. They wanted to visit God. When they went there, they said, “God, we have a problem. We want you to help us.” The first one said, “Who will be the next South African Prime Minister? will it be an Indian?” God said, “Not in your life.” The next one said, “Will it be a ‘Coloured’? God said, “Not in your life.” The last one said, “Will it be a black man?” God said, “Not in my life.”
Willie Mabhuda
KWA-XUMA
A RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS
4 cups of love
2 cups of loyalty
3 cups of forgiveness
1 cup of friendship
5 spoons of hope
2 spoons of tenderness
4 quarts of faith
1 barrel of laughter
Take love and loyalty and mix it well with faith. Blend it with tenderness, kindness and forgiveness. Add friendship and hope. Sprinkle with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Dish it up every day.
Vusie Miya
THOKOZA
Learn and Teach Magazine 