When the land is in turmoil, nations gripped with fear and hostilities, where confusion threatens to reign supreme and the pangs of poverty wreak havoc throughout the African nations, then, in what form do you celebrate Africa Day? What becomes your message to the people?  

Speaking in this House against xenophobic and criminal violence affecting parts of our country, The Honourable Bapela among other things said "We want to assure our African brothers and sisters that our resolve for Africa's prosperity remains solid." Noble as that may be, we now need to pause for a moment to reflect on this resolution and our African agenda. Is it finding place in the African Soul and Identity?  Is it finding resonance with the African dream championed by Nkurumah, Azikiwe, Padmore, Du Bois, Lumumba, Luthuli and Sobukwe?  They dreamt and struggled for an independent, sovereign Africa, liberated from ethnic wars, poverty, ignorance, disease, underdevelopment and disunity.  

If our African agenda is right as it should be, our dreams noble, then why this never-ending sobs and tears of the African child in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Darfur and almost the rest of the continent.  

African historians and writes argue that the African Predicament is largely the results of leaders of the Independent Africa emulating colonial administrators and governors, pursuit of similar autocratic and corrupt practices, encouraged divisiveness and ethnic conflicts, supported arms and drug trafficking. 

It is therefore right and proper for Africans today to want to celebrate the African quest for peace, for self-discovery, self-love and acceptance, self-reliance and self-healing from the painful convulsions of the African soul. While celebrating Africa day, the continent may want to heed the words of Kofi Awunoor when he wrote:  

"Our continent, the beggar continent of the new millennium, has become a plague unto itself. The cure of our ailments lies with us, and no one else.

We have pleaded alibis for too long. Our plight is our responsibility and ours alone. No one, other than Africa, can cure or feed Africa. No one, other than Africa, can educate Africa. No one, other than Africans can develop Africa. That stark fact must be the first proposal upon which all of us, Africans at home and abroad, agree, we must draw up a new agenda, taking into account our present predicament."  

[Kofi Awunoor: The African Predicament]  

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Mr Ben Skosana MP: 082 887 2779