𝗠𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 – 𝟮𝟳 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬

With the COVID-19 pandemic reaching a peak, we have become more impatient because we have not volunteered for this, nor have we asked for it. Alas, it is here. We, however, do not have to accept it, but just be aware of its presence by adhering to social distancing and hygiene practices. It means that we must not conceal the fears and uncertainty brought on by the pandemic.

Have you noticed the increasing number of posts by people calling for the lockdown to end? The government is accused of lies etc. Really? Welcome to the new normal; we are in uncertain times. The whole world (including third world countries) is dealing with a pandemic that nobody understands. All economies are affected, some admittedly more adverse than others.

We do have one certainty, and that is the fact that God is not bound by time. COVID-19 has a ‘shelf life’ like all the other viruses from the previous centuries. So, this too shall pass. To say the pandemic has uprooted our lives is an understatement. Before the lockdown, most of us were used to partitioning our time to strike a balance between work, studies, hobbies, etc. The world is not going back to ‘business as usual’ any time soon. So, what do we do in the meantime?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we all complained that we had no time or were out of time. Maybe now is the time to take stock. Perhaps we should not go any further until we have accomplished this. How can we achieve this? We can start by uniting in the fight against a common enemy known as COVID-19.

Let us take heart in the fact that according to 2 Chronicles 16:9, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

My Lockdown Journal - 14 July 2020

Most of us get frustrated when life gets in the way. Nothing wrong with that, it's just that we all want to do the simplest things in life, but are blocked by people, a lack of resources, or by situations beyond our control. Maybe you have also encountered that when you set your goals on something, it almost always get blocked on some level. It is, therefore, no surprise that the Bible tells us in so many ways that the bigger our goals are, the bigger our opposition will be. Scripture tells us to press on, and that our best is yet to come.

What I have learned was that if you dearly want something, there is still a way to get what you want; it is called purpose and passion. When I was in grade nine (1983), our career guidance teacher asked us to share what careers we wanted to pursue. Everyone was excited and shared dreams of becoming a doctor, teacher, entrepreneur, etc. When it was my turn, I shared my dream of becoming a writer, the teacher laughed, followed by the rest of the class. I was shocked that a teacher would react like that. My teacher reminded me that we were living in apartheid, South Africa. He said Coloureds don’t become writers because the doors to publishing are shut for people of colour. He said I would make a good clerk or teacher. I felt a strange burning sensation on the inside. It wasn't pain or cramps, but a passion to become a published writer. At that moment I knew that nothing and nobody was going to assassinate my dream. 

Walking home that day, I told myself that just because I’ve experienced resistance didn’t mean I had to give up. I knew I had something in me that was worth pursuing. Somehow I knew that the colour of my skin couldn’t keep me from reaching my dreams and aspirations. I think one of the best things about being a kid, is that there is no dream that’s too big. The journey thereafter wasn’t moonlight and roses; it was hard work. Today I am a published writer and freelance journalist. One of my stories about the #FeesMustFall protests was featured on CNN.

I am sure that many dreams are being realised during this lockdown period. For a writer or creative person, the free time as a result of COVID-19 is a gift on a platter. 

Mister Taxi Driver (Poetry)

mister taxi driver

taxi driver, djy’s ’n gateway na hel ou pêl

hoe haatsee is ittie om te sien

djy issie gepla oo ôse lewens’ie

ôse harte kadoef-kadoef oppie beat

van djou aansteeklike rhythm

wat speed straps lielik duck en dive

skielik hoo ‘n man skreeuende tyres

en ‘n groot slag en tientalle opslag

dood toe die emergency ouens appear

taxi driver, ek sêrit soesit is

djy gaan nog ôs ammel uit wipe

wan djy’s ‘n brug tussen lewe en dood

en als net vi djou ennie taxi laanie se daily brood

© 2020 Selwyn Milborrow

NB: Image is subject to copyright

Taxi Queen (Poetry)

𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗶 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻

𝗃𝗒 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗄𝗅𝖾𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀

𝗆𝖺𝖺𝗋 𝗇𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗑𝗂 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀

𝗃𝗒’𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗈𝗂𝗍 𝗅𝖺𝖺𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝗋 ‘𝗇 𝖿𝗋𝖾𝖾-𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾

𝖾𝗇 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗄 𝗇á 𝗌𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗅 𝗄𝗈𝗆 𝗁𝖺𝖺𝗅

𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗃𝗒’𝗌 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾 𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾

𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖾𝗇 𝖻𝖺𝗂𝖾 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗌𝗂𝖺𝖺𝗅

𝗆𝖺𝖺𝗋 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗀𝖾𝖾𝗍

𝗈𝗆 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀-𝖺𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝗂𝗅 𝗍𝖾 𝗏𝖺𝗍

𝗇𝗈𝗎’𝗌 𝗃𝗒 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗀𝗀𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗄𝗐𝖺𝖺𝖽

𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝗁𝗎𝗅 𝗏𝖺𝗅𝗎𝖾 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗋

𝖾𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗀𝖾𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽

𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖾𝗇 𝗀𝗎𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗃𝗂𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗉 𝗃𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗈𝗋

𝗈𝗆𝖽𝖺𝗍 𝗃𝗒 𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗂𝗀 𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗋𝗍

“𝗀𝗈𝗎, 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖾, 𝗃𝗎𝗆𝗉 𝗎𝗂𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗑𝗂

𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗄𝖺𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝗍 𝗇𝗂𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉 𝗇𝗂𝖾

𝗃𝗒 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇 𝗇𝗂𝖾 𝗁𝗂𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗒𝗌 𝗇𝗂𝖾”

© 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝘄𝘆𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄

This Much I Know: About Racism (R.I.P. George Floyd)

This much I know about racism:

I was a teenager during the apartheid uprisings. I’ve witnessed my people being pushed to the edge. Now, I don’t pretend to be perfect, or say everything perfectly. However, if seeing people looting shops and burning buildings upset you more than a white cop killing a black man, then you’re not part of the solution; you're part of the problem. Protesting doesn’t damage the cause because I was part of the school boycotts in the 1980s, and we beat the monster called apartheid. Listen, institutional racism is very much alive in the workplace, sport, entertainment and politics. I do however agree with Barack Obama that “if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both.” First, let’s raise awareness, then vote with our conscience. Like Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living”.

knee to the neck – Bevan Boggenpoel

(in memory of George Floyd) 

he used his knee to his neck

holding George down

while his lacklustre colleagues

stood dutifully by

watching a black man 

pleading to be released

but they couldn't care less 

he’s now deceased

they killed a man 

as if he’s a slave 

sending him 

to an early grave 

he begged and pleaded 

“I can’t breathe”

but the racist persisted 

while he only saw their feet

when they're supposed to

serve and protect

they'd rather kill

with utter neglect

black lives matter 

that's a fact

but police brutality

is the violent act

justice for George

must be served 

a life behind bars

is what they deserve 

cities in unity

gather around

as another black man 

goes underground 

for too long 

this has been going on

no longer must black civilians

be trampled upon

by careless officers 

and just get away

thinking they can just

shoot and slay

thunder roars

as voices demand 

justice for George 

a man unarmed! 

©️ 05/06/2020 Bevan Boggenpoel

Lockdown Journal - Day 25

My Lockdown Journal 2020 – Monday, Day 25:

Television has always been an entertaining distraction and a way to escape the stresses of daily life. However, the world has changed since the introduction of the TV. The COVID-19 pandemic is just one example of how television has become a source of vital information.

Watching the news, one realises that the coronavirus picked the right time, and the right country to create havoc on a socio-economic level. The poorest of the poor are resorting to looting because of hunger. Food supplies from the government for the poor are allegedly intercepted by councillors, and the sold or handed out to their supporters. Several claims of food looting have been reported in several provinces. This kind of behaviour coming from community-elected councillors is inhumane and unacceptable.

It’s now up to private donors and foundations like that of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, to donate food parcels in some of Port Elizabeth’s poorest townships. Some churches are also distributing food parcels to the needy and vulnerable. The current situation has many South Africans feeling helpless and hopeless. The nation is in a grip of fear due to uncertainties brought on the lockdown.

I am fully aware that quoting Bible scriptures won’t bring food on the table, but I do believe that it’s food for one’s spirit. One of the scriptures that I think about a lot comes from 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” I believe we have nothing to lose by giving God all our worries.

During the lockdown, many women, men and children are stuck at home with their abusers. There is no excuse for abuse during or after lockdown. The bravest thing you and I can do is to help someone who needs help or is asking for help. Call the Stop Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150.

World COVID-19 count:
2,424,419 Infections - 166,235 Deaths.

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#LockdownSouthAfrica
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