Jou kruisie is belangrik

Op 3 Augustus sal meer as 26 miljoen van my medelandsburgers die geleentheid kry om hul kruisie te maak. 

Ons sal die geleentheid kry om ’n politieke party en wykskandidaat te kies om ons te verteenwoordig en hul beloftes na te kom.

Wanneer my keuse gemaak is, sal ek met die kollektiewe besluit – wie my wyk en munisipale gebied gaan regeer – moet aanvaar.

Dit is daarom belangrik dat wanneer ek my kruisie maak, ek dit met trots doen en my stem slim gebruik.

Net minder as 50 000 van die meer as 3 miljoen kiesers in die Wes-Kaap is tussen 18 en 19 en sal vir die eerste keer hul kruisie maak. Hulle sal kan kies uit ’n rekord 200 politieke partye en 61 014 kandidate wat in die munisipale verkiesing meeding. Dit is sowat 65% meer politieke partye en 12% meer kandidate as vyf jaar gelede in 2011.

Talle kenners noem dit die belangrikste verkiesing sedert daai allerbelangrike 1994 een. Tog is alle verkiesings belangrik en wat vanjaar se plaaslike verkiesing interessant maak is om te sien of kiesers volgens hul behoeftes of volgens lojaliteit sal stem. Dit natuurlik as jy dink aan wat die afgelope twee tot vyf jaar gebeur het.

Ons stem is egter meer as ’n geleentheid, dit is ’n verantwoordelikheid wat ons toegang gee tot die reg om ons openbare verteenwoordigers verantwoordbaar te hou. Ons stem is nie net vyf minute werd nie, maar inderdaad vyf jaar. Vyf jaar om diegene vir wie ons kies verantwoordelik te hou om in die gemeenskap se basiese behoeftes te voorsien.

Die afgelope paar maande moes ons talle diensleweringbetogings in die land aanskou. Nes geen mens perfek is nie, is ook geen party perfek nie en bevat elkeen sy eie struikelblokke.

Rassisme, kwotas in sport, korrupsie, private stralers, spy tapes en talle ander sake is belangrik.

Maar wat ons baie keer vergeet is om realistiese oplossings op die agenda te plaas wat die daaglikse bestaan van veral die armes raak.

Terwyl ons worry oor ’n nuwe jet vir die president of ’n rassistiese post op sosiale media, is daar ’n ouma wat omsien na haar vyf kleinkinders en wonder waar gaan sy môreaand se ete kry. Terwyl ons kwotas in sport bespreek, het die ouers van ’n talentvolle jong sportspeler nie die geld om eens oefenklere vir daardie speler te koop nie.

Ja, hierdie verkiesing is nes die vorige en dié wat sal kom, belangrik.

Hierdie munisipale verkiesing is ’n geleentheid vir die kieser om vir hul behoeftes te stem, om te stem vir wie ’n regte verandering in hul lewe sal maak en nie net een op papier of ’n poster nie.

Wanneer ek in die stemlokaal gaan en my stembriewe vashou – staan ek alleen. Ek sal my asem ophou en dink aan ongeag hoe onvolmaak ons demokratiese proses mag wees of nie, dit bly ’n voorreg vir my om my kruisie te maak. ’n Voorreg wat my grootouers nooit gehad en kon geniet het nie.

Ja, ek sal dink aan wat Zuma, Maimane, Malema, Lekota, Buthulezi, Zanele, Godi en die Mulders gesê het, asook beloftes van plaaslike leiers. Maar ek sal ook dink aan Madiba, Oliver, Walter, Albertina, Helen, Dullah, Kader, Ashley en die talle ander wat ’n duur prys betaal het vir my om hierdie verantwoordelikheid te geniet.

Ek sal ’n oomblik neem en dink aan die talle uitdagings in my gemeenskap en wie in my mening die beste dit kan aanspreek.

Ek sal dink aan menseregte, vryheid van spraak, die media, vryheid om aan ’n organisasie van my keuse te behoort. Ek sal ook dink aan die regte van minderheidsgroepe, diversiteit en ’n droom van samehorigheid.

Ek sal met die stembriewe in my hand ook dink aan armoede, maatskaplike uitdagings soos dwelmmisbruik, tienerswangerskap, MIV, werkloosheid, bendegeweld en die stigma teen my LGBTI (gay) vriende.

Ek sal dink aan vrede en hoop dat jy ook jou stem wys sal gebruik.

Geniet die verantwoordelikheid om te stem. Stem met trots en loop by die stembus weg met die wete dat jy die regte ding gedoen het.

Dit gaan oor jou kruisie!

• Oorspronklike rubriek het in Paarl Post van Donderdag 28 Julie 2016 verskyn.

Religious leaders our moral compass

The South African Council of Churches (SACC) and National Religious Leaders Forum (NRLF) last week added their voice to the growing calls for Jacob Zuma to do the honourable thing and resign.

Now what makes this so special?

The religious groups normally speak out on pertinent social issues.

But this is the first time I can recall in our young democracy that the two bodies not only have a joint meeting on a specific issue, but also a joint meeting with the ANC as well as a joint press briefing calling on Jacob Zuma to resign.

Surely this alone calls for a moment of silent reflection, considering past tension between the two and in the foreseeable future we may not see this joint effort again.

A brief history of the two formations is that the NRLF was formed in post-apartheid South Africa, with one of their most prominent leaders being Pastor Ray McCauley of Rhema Bible Church. The SACC needs no introduction, having 

been in alliance with the ANC during the anti-apartheid struggle.

As one would expect the “devil” was not happy. Our church leaders were criticised and their actions questioned. Some colleagues even asked who gave them a mandate – even though they were elected. One of the comments I read was that our religious leaders should not judge but act with love and compassion.

“The pulpit cannot be used by religious leaders for politics, and only the ANC can ask the president to resign,” said the chaplain at the Chris Hani Memorial Service.

Yes, politically he may be correct, and we have already received indications of this.

ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe, at two press briefings he addressed - one after the national officials met and the other after the extended national working committee meeting X made this distinction clear. When 235 members of Parliament voted against the DA impeachment motion to remove the President, the ANC NWC and parliamentary caucus indicated they would never again recall a sitting head of state, as the party’s national executive committee did in September 2008 when it recalled Thabo Mbeki as President.

Not all religious leaders asked the President to step down. On Monday, the National Interfaith Council of South Africa welcomed the President’s apology to South Africa and criticised men and women of God for asking him to resign. It may be worth noting that one of the prominent members of this council is former ANC Parliamentary Chief Whip Dr Mathole Motshekga, who was also a member of the Nkandla Ad hoc committee.

Reading all the unhappy comments, I was wondering if they did not read or didn’t know 1 Timothy 5:20, which says: “But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning...” There is also Deuteronomy, Acts, Titus, Corinthians and several other scriptural texts one could quote from.

Prof Mary-Ann Plaatjies-van Huffel, World Council of Churches President for Africa and moderator of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (and first female to hold this position), wrote to President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday 6 April – in a letter composed on Sunday 3 April with a humble, though serious request.

The letter, a copy of which is in my possession, contains no politics just a humble reminder of moral integrity, asking the President to do the right thing and not let his own struggle in the fight for liberation fade from the memory of the nation.

A friend occasionally tells me that politics and religion do not go together... you will be busy praying and swearing at the same time. Although many religious leaders tried it on the political scene, I agree that the pulpit should not be used for politics – indeed for souls. But we cannot ignore our country’s history and remind ourselves that religious leaders – and we can name people like Oom Beyers Naudé, Dr Allan Boesak, Archbishop-emeritus Desmond Tutu, Rev Frank Chikane, Archbishop-emeritus Bill Burnett and many others – played an instrumental role in #ApartheidHasFallen and the #RiseOfDemocracy

Yes, politics can make one forget one’s values, even if only for a second.

But our religious leaders have a role to play and we should see them as the moral voice in our country, for our [political] leaders.

• This opinion piece was originally published in Paarl Post of Thursday 14 April 2016 [pg.8]

Turn hope into reality

It’s time for the National Senior Certificate Examinations or Matric Exams and many could argue why should I study/work hard when majority of the unemployed is young people. Some will say I won’t work and others that they will struggle to get a bursary.

But then I’m reminded of the words of Michelle Obama, first Lady of the United States of America, during a visit to South Africa, when she told a group of young people in Soweto: “when it comes to the challenges we face, we simply don’t have time to sit back and wait. Each of you are ready, to start meeting the challenge. Your efforts might not always draw the world’s attention, but your generation can make the change.”

Matric 2014 Exam Timetable

School and work sometimes feel like slavery though, but if we do everything with the help of our creator, he will help us develop our knowledge and skills. We should do so for our creator and not people, I am reminded in Colossians 3:23 and this will motivate you and me to work hard, when only our creator is looking, (Colossians 3:22).

To reach success you have to work hard, numerous leaders across the world will tell you this and even the bible speaks of it.

We should however always work with a vision, working towards something. As Christian I read this in Colossians 3:24. Therefore you and I should have a vision in life and work wisely towards it. A great vision inspires great sacrifices that result great rewards.

Obama told the youth they can be the generation that discover and build to transform economies, bring opportunity, end HIV/aids, hold leaders accountable, stand up and be heard.

“The Youth is the future and therefore we need to ensure they have all the tools to do this,” Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu said during a Youth Day event.

Working hard can deliver success, you have to believe. People believe in a better South Africa, people died for it…… people prayed for it.

In his last address to the first democratic parliament of the Republic of South Africa, on Friday 26 March 1999, former President Nelson Mandela said we should together continue our efforts to turn our hopes into reality. 

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A nation that belongs to all the people

We celebrate Heritage Day to give recognition to our cultural heritage and the diversity of beliefs and traditions.


The day formerly known as Shaka Day, has the objective for South Africans to commemorate, no matter what your background, your heritage. This in a nutshell means no one should forget who and what he/she is and where you come from. On the 24th September you can celebrate your culture, history and background – therefore it’s called Heritage-day.


Former President, Nelson Mandela called us the Rainbow nation to describe the different culture, tradition, history and languages and the day is meant to celebrate this diversity.
I was born in a coloured community in the early 1980’s, when apartheid was still a reality. “Jy kon in die tronk beland net omdat jy ‘swart’ is.” I live in the new South Africa now. “Waar ek vry is en kan vier wie ek is.”
I can’t help but wonder, am I commemorating my heritage on the 24th of September or am I celebrating democracy?


On Heritage Day, I am not only supposed to celebrate my own heritage, but reach out beyond the different cultural borders. Unity, nation building, reconciliation and patriotism should be at the order of the day. It is sad though that this is not the reality, but rather the day is just another public holiday.


Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, during the 20th February historic FW de Klerk-speech celebrations in 2011 said there are many things that unite us as South Africans.
For the past few years, South Africans have celebrated Braai Day on/with Heritage Day. The aim of this is to give recognition to the South African culinary tradition of holding informal backyard barbecues/braais.


In an interview for Braai Day in 2012, former Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport Minister, Dr. Ivan Meyer, said Braai Day reached cultural status. “People talk with each other and the day gives an opportunity to talk about the history and look forward to the future.”
Or as patron of National Braai Day, Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu affirmed the day on September 5th 2007, “to be a unifying force in a divided country”.

We should not only celebrate our own heritage but also that which we inherited. We need to celebrate the nature, places of scientific and historical importance, national monuments, historic buildings, art, literature, music, vocal traditions and museums.

Former President, Nelson Mandela, during the second Heritage day celebrations said “if we as a nation want to rise like the phoenix from the ash, from the oppression and conflict of the past, we need to recognize those who devoted their work and talent for the goal of a non-racial democracy”.