Copyright © 2019 Selwyn Milborrow

 Copyright © 2019 Milborrow Media

All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission of the author. Online quotations from poems are permitted as long as a link back to this blog is provided, with reference clearly made to this blog as the original source. Poems & other material.

AMERIKAANSE STUDENT LEES SELWYN SE GEDIG

Selwyn Milborrow - Poet, Novelist and Researcher

Veerle Vrindts is a published Belgian writer

South Africa at risk of becoming a failed African state – Selwyn Milborrow

South Africa at risk of becoming a failed African state – Selwyn Milborrow

I speak for many South Africans when I say that we are all dismayed‚ but not surprised by the farcical findings of the Nkandla report. The irony is that this comes weeks after we experienced the terrifying xenophobic attacks and the much celebrated Africa Day.

Somali born author Nuruddin Farah, recently said that if you throw a stone at the guilty it never reaches the guilty party; it always reaches the innocent ones. “It's because the guilty protect themselves with walls that you cannot go beyond…” he said. Many believe that this was the case with President Jacob Zuma, who was absolved by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko. He said the swimming pool – now called a fire pool after it was queried, an animal enclosure, the amphitheatre, and the visitor’s centre were all security features. And all this while corruption continues to stifle growth on the African continent, and its citizens being confronted with corruption and poor access to basic services on a daily basis.

Inertia is one of the menaces practiced unabated by government officials in South Africa. The Nkandla report has subsequently become the official green light for South African and African leaders to act with impunity, and further demonstrates a continual failure to hold our leaders accountable‚ most often at the expense of us the taxpayers. In 1964 at the famous Treason trial, Nelson Mandela said, “Today I am attracted by the idea of a classless society, an attraction which springs in part from Marxist reading and, in part, from my admiration of the structure and organisation of early African societies in this country. The land, then the main means of production, belonged to the tribe. There were no rich or poor and there was no exploitation.”

The present situation is farcical in the extreme. President Jacob Zuma made a mockery of the opposition in Parliament the day before his police minister, Nathi Nhleko, exonerated him. He made a mockery of parties who found his plundering of the country's finances objectionable. By implication their concerns about overspending at Nkandla is seen by the president as upper middle-class snobbery. Many believe that the money should have been spent on infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, medical equipment, education and the like. The Auditor General has confirmed that the government in its 20 years of governing the country, has spent - or is it lost - the absurd amount of R 880 billion on irregular, unauthorized, and wasteful expenditure. Steven Friedman from the Centre for the Study of Democracy wrote, “Anyone who has spent any time talking to working-class and poor citizens will know that most are as angry about corruption and waste as anyone else - which is why they frequently appear on the streets in actions that are wrongly labelled “service delivery protests” but are in reality a demand for government that accounts to citizens.”

I was part of the South African freedom struggle during the eighties, and understandably happy to have witnessed the fall of apartheid and subsequent dawn of a new South Africa. I thought that all of us would stand on our own feet while living out the dream made possible for us through sacrifices. This dream has now turned into a nightmare. One would think that the right thing to do now is to step down and allow someone - more capable of integrity - to turn this nightmare around, but that is wishful thinking.

South Africa longs for a president that is at one with his own people. With the 2016 municipal elections only a few months away, many of the older voters offended by Zuma’s caricature may stay at home in disgust, but not enough to change election results in much of the country. This is because, research shows, they remain loyal to its traditions. However, there might be light at the end of the tunnel. According to a survey the “born-free” generation will make up a third of the voting population by the 2019 general election. Whatever the outcome at the polling stations, let’s hope that Zuma’s predecessor will apply Nelson Mandela’s servant leadership skills by being prepared to take the opportunity, and prevent South Africa from descending into another failed African state. Nkosi, sikelel' iAfrika! – Selwyn Milborrow (CNN iReporter, author)

SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS GROW ORGANIC GARDEN FOR NEEDY STUDENTS

South African university students grow organic garden for needy students

Port Elizabeth, South Africa: Five years ago, Agricultural students from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) established a vegetable garden to provide nutrition for needy students at its campus clinic.

Dr Tim Pittaway, a lecturer in the Agriculture and Game Management Department, teaches the plant production module to students. He said that the organic garden is an important vehicle to help students gain practical experience. It is used as a simulator to teach them the agricultural process of crop production, from nursery, to soil preparation, to planting, to harvest, and then finally packing.

Apart from it contributing to the agricultural students’ plant production practical marks, it builds student confidence, provides an environment for them to experiment, and encourages appreciation of nature and a sense of environmental stewardship. Dr Pittaway added that nutrition is key to good health, and the garden supports the university’s green initiative. No chemicals were used and it is the only source of fresh, nutritious vegetables for the programme.

Sandisiwe Mkhize, an agriculture student, could not contain her excitement at the sight of vegetables being harvested and donated to the campus clinic for its student feeding programme. Lwando Vava, a student, said he used to collect food parcels from the clinic, and praised the students for their hard and selfless work to bless the needy.

The project is managed by the students and provides nutritional support to 1200 students. Dr Pittaway said that the garden was financed by the university’s Agriculture Department. The programme exposes students to learning beyond the classroom, and it is expected that it will be key to shaping rural communities where household incomes are low.

DESSA SPEAKS TO STUDENTS AT NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

I had the honour of meeting Dessa, a rapper, hip hop artist, singer, spoken word artist, and writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota in the USA. She was in South Africa to deliver a Critical Theory Seminar at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on Wednesday, May 13, 2015.

The audience attending the seminar were diverse and interactive during discussions on feminism, race relations and the creative process of writing and performing rap music. Dessa is a member of the indie hip hop collective Doomtree. She spoke on the ethnic and cultural differences between the members of the group, and thought those differences to be part of their strength.

Dessa doesn’t write or sing as a form of therapy because she thinks that’s what friends and therapists are there for. She prefers to only share personal information when doing so seems to be in the service of a promising song or essay.

She knows what it feels like to be exposed to sexual and racial discrimination, but doesn’t consider herself to be a "feminist" because it is a term that has been evolving with each wave of feminism.

Dessa attended the University of Minnesota, where she earned a B.A. in philosophy, before becoming a full-time artist. Since 2005, Dessa has appeared on numerous Doomtree albums, as well as on the other members' solo albums. Dessa's debut solo EP, False Hopes, was released in 2005.

She completed and released a book of creative non-fiction titled Spiral Bound. Dessa's first solo album, A Badly Broken Code, was released in 2010. In 2011, she released Castor, the Twin, and in 2013, released Parts of Speech.

Hip hop as music and culture formed during the 1970s, and performed particularly among African American youth residing in the Bronx. It is a populous form of art and expression whether by the people of for the people. More than any genre of music the crowd plays a role in performance and movement. Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music, or hip-hop music, consists of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted.

POEM FOR ELISABETH EYBERS

Poem for Elisabeth Eybers

as daughter and poet
it was easier to avoid the spotlight

yet your son's passing becomes
a serious setback -
oh yes, life has already
hung its frames around you

and the only thing you could rely on -
a walking frame
cut like a diamond
to fit into your hand
and life and death
in the other hand

©2015 Selwyn Milborrow

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS AT SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY MAKE HEADLINE NEWS

Port Elizabeth, South Africa: South Africans have seen a resurgence of random acts of kindness more than thirty years after Anne Herbert wrote “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty” on a place mat at a Sausalito restaurant in the United States of America.

Prof Jean Greyling, Computing Science Department Head at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), shared a video made by students from his department of their NMMU-Random Acts of Kindness Campaign. The students took up the challenge to “work on their soft skills” and set about spreading a little happiness on the university’s campus and in the community without asking for anything in return.

The first-year Computing Science students, Lutho Msutu, Bongo Mgubo, Michael Selby, Ruan Oliver, Christopher Marinus, and Cruden Daniels, started a Random Acts of Kindness page on Facebook as a platform for everyone to post and share their random acts of kindness. In the heart-warming and uplifting video, they can be seen dishing out cupcakes, leaving inspirational notes for unsuspecting students and handing out lunches to homeless people. Since then their video has been trending on social media and led to interviews on radio and national television.

South Africa has been experiencing a lot of turmoil with what’s happening around the issues of Xenophobia and the defacement of statues. According to the students the aim was to inspire others to practice kindness and pass it on. They have contacted other universities and schools challenging them to spread the joy by posting videos of themselves performing random acts of kindness.

The late Princess Diana knew how to change the world with one hug, one touch, and one smile at a time. She was quoted as saying, “carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” Professor Greyling said that since the release of the video, many people came back and said ‘but this is the real South Africa’. “We want the world to see this is how we really are,” he said.

One can only hope that many more will take time out of their normal routine and attempt a new random act of kindness to make this world a better place.

– Selwyn Milborrow, CNN iReporter

Click here to watch the video clip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruDlOPx9OzY&feature=youtu.be

KHOISAN "QUEEN" SARAH BAARTMAN'S GRAVESITE IN SOUTH AFRICA DEFACED

Khoisan “queen” Sarah Baartman’s burial site defaced

Port Elizabeth, South Africa - The burial site of Khoikhoi, Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman was defaced in Hankey outside Port Eizabeth. The defacement of the Baartman burial site comes after the vandalising of national statues and monuments across South Africa.

According to the South African Police Services, Baartman’s world-famous burial site and memorial plaque was splashed with white paint by a group of men. Members from four of the five national Khoisan houses addressed the media at an emotion-charged press briefing following the defacement of the burial site.

Sarah Baartman, most famous because of her large buttocks, was taken from South Africa in 1810, and then exhibited as a freak across Britain. In 1814 she was taken to France, and became the object of scientific and medical research that formed the bedrock of European ideas about black female sexuality. After her death in 1815, her sexual organs and brain were displayed in the Musee de l'Homme in the name of Science until 1985.

 In November 2014, Paper Magazine released a cover of Kim Kardashian in which she was illustrated as balancing a champagne bottle on her extended rear. The cover photo has received much criticism and commentary on Kardashian’s mimicking of the way in which Sarah Baartman was represented as the “Hottentot Venus” during the 19th century. The name “Hottentot” was the then current name for the Khoi people, and “Venus” in reference to the Roman goddess of love. Baartman died in Paris, France on 29 December 1815. A poem written by poet and activist, Diana Ferrus (herself of Khoisan descent), entitled “I've come to take you home”, played a pivotal role in the return of Baartman's remains back to her birth soil in 2002.

In recent months the statues of Queen Victoria, the Horse memorial and

the Anglo-Boer War memorial in the Port Elizabeth-Uitenhage metropolitan area, the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Johannesburg, Cecil John Rhodes statue in Cape Town (after protests by university students), the Andrew Murray statue (South African writer, teacher, and Christian pastor) in the Wellington, and the Paul Kruger statue on Church Square in Pretoria was also vandalised. Most of the vandalising was politically as well as racially motivated.

How South Africa confronts symbols of its difficult past are being discussed in newspaper columns, television talk shows and mainstream politics. Some white activists claim they are victims of “reverse racism” from the African National Congress (ANC) government. In the face of what is happening in other parts of SA, one has to take the defacement of Baartman’s gravesite and the statue of Andrew Murray seriously because both of them weren’t involved in politics. Many South Africans believe that these vandals do not represent the heart of beautiful South Africa.

The South African Police Services are investigating the defacement of the world-famous burial site.

Here is an Afrikaans/Khoisan poem I wrote in 2002 after the burial of Sarah Baartman:

gebed van saartjie baartman*

in ‘n land van beskaafdes
was jy as frats ingehok
en moes wag vir die vloek se heengaan:

"Jirre, ek is een van djou se tjeeners
maar’ie mense hille algar sê ek is ‘n goggatjie
moet’ie lat hille my seer of doodmaak’ie"

maar as verlange jou byt
kon jy gaan na ‘n beter plek
met jou kaalvoet-gebed:

"Jirre, as djy weer sulke reënbooggoggatjies stuur
om te kô kyk of dit genôg gereentit
sê hille ‘seblief om my te kô haal"

saartjie, toe diana* jou oorskot uit die koue bring
en jou vel die afrika-son voel
het o’s hulde gebring:

"Jirre, vindag wil o’s trug report –
daar’s niks meer om oor te stry
of te wonner oor vergewe en vergeet’ie…"
want saartjie ís vry

– Selwyn Milborrow, CNN iReporter #cnnireport #SarahBaartman ‪#‎statues

NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY'S ANTI-XENOPHOBIA CAMPAIGN - 23 APRIL 2015

NMMU marches against xenophobia – Selwyn Milborrow

While South African troops took to the streets of Johannesburg, about 3000 students and staff of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), including representatives from political parties, religious institutions, and provincial government converged at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University to march in an anti-xenophobia campaign. Almost 8 percent of NMMU's 27 000 students come from outside of South Africa.

In an earlier statement to the staff and students of NMMU, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Derrick Swartz said that everyone must uphold their Constitutional values of respecting diversity and human rights unconditionally. He called on all sectors of society to speak with one, undivided voice against this appalling spectre of violence and intimidation, and work in engaging and educating communities about their responsibilities in a free society.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Mayor, Ben Fihla and Provincial Premier Phumulo Masualle, joined the silent march in a show of solidarity across the Eastern Cape Province for African compatriots. The March started on the lawns on North Campus and thousands marched to South Campus where the Chair of Council Judge Ronnie Pillay and Vice-Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz accepted pledges by the more than 10 000 people who joined the anti-xenophobia campaign.

The NMMU choir performed inspirational African songs to an emotional crowd. Professor Swartz said it was one of those epic moments in his own life where he was truly proud to be an African and a South African. To be a human being.

He told the marchers that they came to the defence of a noble principle that underlined the constitution; a society that is inclusive. “I am really proud of the fact that we’ve been able to bring you here to express your solidarity in a colourful and positive way as a statement against xenophobia. It’s a crime against humanity,” professor Swartz said. He concluded by saying that, “It cannot be tolerated and it must be eviscerated from our land. And today we have made a stance in history, we have drawn a line in the sand and to say from this conjuncture onwards we say 'no' not in our name.”

His statement was supported by premier Masualle who said that the xenophobic violence was a threat to the huge strides made in restoring the African continent and a slap in the face of a democratic South Africa. #NoToXenophobia

STATUES IN SOUTH AFRICA BEING VANDALIZED

This statue of Queen Victoria in Port Elizabeth, South Africa was vandalised on April 9, 2015. The statue in front of the public library was covered in green paint. Queen Victoria was targeted on the same night that the University of Cape Town removed its statue of Cecil John Rhodes after weeks of protests by students. The Horse memorial also in Port Elizabeth, the Anglo-Boer War memorial in Uitenhage and the Paul Kruger statue on Church Plein (Square) in Pretoria was also vandalised. – Selwyn Milborrow

CNN on http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1235734

OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) HAS MUCH TO OFFER SOUTH AFRICA

Open Educational Resources has much to offer South Africa - Selwyn Milborrow

As an innovation facilitator and co-founder of a community initiative called Victory In Innovation, I am excited about how much Open Educational Resources (OER) as a support resource has to offer. On 26 March 2015 I attended a presentation by a colleague, Gino Fransman from the Academic Literacies and Writing team in the Centre for Teaching Learning and Media (CTLM) at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU).

Fransman explained how OER can be explored by lecturers and students for various disciplines and used in multiple Teaching and Learning (T&L) activities. OER has been a catchphrase in global education since 2002 when Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) first announced that it would release all its courseware online. Courseware refers here to full T&L materials, some including textbooks, lecture notes, videos and images and more. What is significant here, however, is that these full T&L packs, now known as Open Course Ware (OCW), span several disciplines and interests. It was released as full learning objects, some similar to modules currently offered at NMMU or that NMMU could offer. These MIT, along with hundreds of other institutions around the world’s learning objects, were released and made available freely and openly, and have enjoyed engagements from hundreds of thousands of knowledge seekers, writers, practitioners and researchers alike.

Fransman mentioned that in South Africa, OER as a support resource has much to offer, both for the educator, the researcher, and the institution. He talked about the use of technology in the classroom by both lecturer and student. They have access to smartphones, tablets, computers and free Wi-Fi which could be used as an aid in the classroom. Educators around the world are now increasingly taking advantage of social media services and tools. A recent survey showed that 61 percent of teachers, principals, and librarians are active in at least one social media space. Many use those spaces for professional development - attending webinars, watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts, or participating on blogs (edWeb.net, 2010).

Fransman, known for collecting and sharing data that he collects with his mobile devices during field work or travels abroad, alerted the audience to the fact that lecturers and students use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media in their personal lives, and that those same tools can be put to academic use.

Sir Ken Robinson said in a Ted presentation entitled Bring on the revolution, that fundamental innovation in education is needed. He quoted Abraham Lincoln who said, “The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves…” What is remarkable is that Lincoln called on the nation to “rise with the occasion, and not to the occasion.” Robinson makes the case stronger by adding that “many of our ideas has been formed not to meet the circumstances of this century, but to cope with the circumstances of the previous century.” (Ted.com, 2010).

I therefor encourage heads of educational institutions to be open and encourage lecturers, researchers and practitioners alike to embark on the paradigm shifting vehicle called OER. Invite them to rise with the occasion and start utilising the resources around them and engaging in OER. This could also open the possibility of an income for your work published online.

Gino Fransman is a Global Open Graduate Network (GO_GN) PhD researcher currently, is actively involved in Open Advocacy, and researches the developing of OER-based T&L materials, tools and strategies.

I share the same sentiment of Sir Ken Robinson who said that “Creativity is as important in education as literature. We should treat it with the same status.” I conclude my contribution with a quote from Khalil Gibran who wrote, "A teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind."

Selwyn Milborrow is an author, poet, novelist, blogger and CNN iReporter

www.selwynmilborrowwriter.blogspot.com

AN EXCERPT FROM MY NEW NOVEL "SHADES OF FORGIVENESS"

An excerpt from “Shades of forgiveness” a novel by Selwyn Milborrow: “Dan Walter's pulse quickened as he looked over his shoulder. He unlocked his front door and eased it open and listened. If someone had broken in, chances were they were long gone. He stepped inside and paused again to listen. One thing you could say about Dan, he was extremely cautious. Once again he thought of the text message he received on his way home. Maybe he should have contacted the police. What if his ex-wife's husband followed through with his threat? He felt fear rising but instinctively pushed back the emotion. There is nothing to fear but fear itself, he thought to himself. It's a good thing it wasn't Grace's weekend with him. He would never forgive the person that would hurt his daughter. He hesitated, and then pulled the key from his front door. He pushed the door open farther. With confidence building, he entered the hallway. Quietly, he moved through the house. He stole a quick glance into the bathroom. It was undisturbed. He went to the wash basin, and splashed cold water on his face. He sighed heavily and checked his cell phone. He stared at it for a moment, closed it and took a deep breath.”

Selwyn’s book was endorsed by Dr Martha Casazza from Chicago in the USA: “Selwyn Milborrow has written a thriller with twists and turns that will keep the reader's attention right up until the end. The story takes place in a work environment that is very familiar. Embedded in the message is an inspirational thread that sends a powerful message to all readers. We can only hope that Selwyn Milborrow continues to write.”

DANCING WITH KATRINA (POEM)

dancing with katrina

  

when the cloud fist marched forth from the sea

and closed in around orleans

sky and cnn’s cameras followed

the tidal waves through the streets

of a pre-earth marshland

you started to plunder and rape

your values exposed to the bone

because everywhere you carry with you

a seed of hate and death

will it ever get through to you

what an urgent message I want to bring to you?

humanity, will you ever learn to respect me?

look, I am the great equalizer –

mother nature is my name.

  

© 2015 Selwyn Milborrow

As published in Sharp magazine – Arts &Culture Faculty, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

BLAUW MAANDAG (NEDERLANDSE GEDIG)

blauw maandag

(voor Anne-Sophie)

ik ben normaal heel enthousiast
tog vandaag een beetje ziekerig
mijn klasgenootjes vond dat grappig
en zeg hullie hebben slechte dingen
gehoord uit België

ik ben normaal heel enthousiast
maar ik zei niets vandaag
en wandelde naar huis
om beter te worden tegen maandag

ONTHOUD JE NOG? (DUTCH POEM)

onthoud je nog?

(voor Veerle Vrindts)

"weet je nog hoe we samen
hand in hand uit de schoolpoort kwamen
onafscheidelijk vrienden voor altijd?"

nog voor die hemel vanaand
in die suide van afrika afdaal
wil ek hierdie gedig offer
aan 'n vriend en digter

want as daar tye kom
wanneer die kliek van isi-xhosa
ons zuid-afrika/belgië band oproep
is daar altyd die genade
dat ons die skrywerspen
kan opneem

INSPIRATION FOR WRITING

No matter how much you love writing, there will always be days when you need inspiration. Inspiration is not just a desirable thing, it’s an integral part of the writing process. Every writer needs to find inspiration in order to produce inspired writing. And sometimes, it can come from the unlikeliest sources.

I highly recommend journal writing for any writer. It doesn’t have to be fancy, or something you write in every day. Once or twice a week is okay. Using a plain notebook will do, although a nice journal can be motivating. Write down thoughts, inspirations, quotes, pieces of good writing, plot ideas and new characters. Then go back to this journal when you need ideas or inspiration.

FIND TIME TO WRITE

·        Forget the excuse that you do not have time to write. Everyone has time to write. You will find time to write if you want to badly enough. It just means that you must cut back on TV and movies.

      

     Writers make sacrifices. Suzanne Berne wrote her first book having determined to set aside at least five minutes a day in which to write. She achieved her daily five minutes and within a year published her first book. Kingsley Amis wrote at least a thousand words a day. With five minutes a day or a thousand words a day you will achieve much more than punishing yourself with a four-hour writing session.

     

     There’s a saying: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” Most of us should have started writing long before this. But we can’t do anything about that. Don’t fret. Let go and start writing.