Loo Mini

Mini ndin’enkulu mna ndiyakoyikaMini ndin’enkulu mna ndikuhloneleNgawe lenzek’inyala nesikiziUfanelwe kukudunyisw’ufakw’ezimbalinNgawe yangqukrulek’imiphefumloyoluntuNgawe zakrazuk’iintliziyo zehlabathiNgaw’umfanasemzini wazenzeludumo nembalasane wathath’umfoka hani Kumhl’igama lakhe lavel’ezimbalini ze africa okwesizananina nesibhadu-bhaduKumhl’abakowabo bamthambis’amafuth’entelezi mna ndamthambis’awomzondoNazixelel’ukub’umbulele ndathi hay’uyaxok’awumbulelang’umthumileWathi zaxele oosobukhwe noo moses kotan’ukub’umadiba waqalisapho babeshiye khonaKumhl’uMadiba wabhengez’imini yenkululekoKumhla sakhululeka kumatyathang’obugqwira nobugqi bukangxowaMini ndin’enkulu mna ndiyakoyika Mini ndin’enkulu mna ndikuhloneleLala kahle Tshonyane10th april

Mncedisi Phaphu

(Dedicated to Chris Hani who was assassinated on April 10 1993 by Yalus Walus. Hani was born in Cofimvaba in 1942 and fled the country in 1962. He was an ANC NEC member from 1974 and was the SACP secretary general from 1991 until his death. He was also the Commissar and Deputy Commander of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the ANC andthe Chief of Staff, MK 1987.)

I am learned

I am learned But not educatedI wore those beautiful school uniformsVaseline shining on my face.

I am educated But not learnedSchool taught meTo read and writeTo write and readThey say knowledge is power

I am blank and ballheadedBut did school teach me toDictate and disdain my dadDid you teach me to mislead my momIs knowledge a power to prickOr age a mirage

We grew up in churchSunday school was our song”Yes, Jesus loves me…”But grades have granted Grasshoppers to lure our mindsKereke re tla ebona.

Importance chains our rightsDiplomacy bombards our mindsInequities become bombasticSin is now a mistakeOh land of my soulSin is sin!

Andries Mbokazi