I can hear the sound of the music kilometers away
The sharp voices of the young angels screaming and ululating
Every weekend such gatherings do take place
We have made the normal to be abnormal and the abnormal to be normal

We are very much aware of the discussions in those gatherings
As I sang along to the lyrics something disturbing came to my attention
Alcohol consumption in those gathering is very high

Its impact can be seen without scientific measure on some of the youth in our country Langalibalele Dube generation abuse substance like never before
All the places that sell alcohol were opened right in front of us
Veterans are not given chance to educate the young people of this country
Instead there are billboards on our freeways advertising alcohol

We pay television license for alcohol to be advertised during family time
We are encouraged to choose as the latest and expensive
Liberal media has hegemony over the thinking of people
With the deficiency encountered after consuming alcohol
It is still advertised broadly with a small health related message on them

Alcohol remains the opium of the left
The then young lions of this country have delivered us in 1994
What is left of us is to bring our economic freedom
Will we ever deliver that when we are busy extenuating our responsibilities?
We have young people who don’t understand our economic crisis
Is it a challenge to educate them while they are still young?
In who’s interests are those discussions for?

Are we not wasting our precious time? The answer to this is known to us!
We must gather around now and engage each other on our triple crisis
It is time to engage and find solutions on these challenges
We should not remain tamed lions because of alcohol
Capitalists don’t sleep; they always look for new business ventures
They continue to exploit the proletarians in their native land
They even teach their children to pronounce the word ‘tender’ at a tender age

Yet our own children are raised with the mentality of going to universities and obtain degrees then go and work for the capitalists
It is a disgrace to celebrate freedom whilst we still don’t have land 1913
If we are really drawing our strength from our fallen veterans;

We should not be where we are now
Our country is being hi-jacked in front of us by the bourgeoisies
It is time to go back to the basics
Take ownership of our land and be sober when dealing with issues of our country

We should gather and mobilize the masses
We should educate each other about the importance of our growth as a country

This not the time to waste on plotting against each other!
20 years later we are still singing “Silwela izwe lokhokho bethu”
Action now, Vuka Africa!

Cynthia Machaba is a Numsa member, Johannesburg North local.