A City under Siege -Jambiya for Water!

AMANZI– the  Water  Crisis   in   the  Southern  tip  of  Africa  with  an  example  of  the  latest  water crisis  in  Cape town  ,South Africa    and  other   African   regions  ,cities    and   villages  are  a great  lesson  to   humanity  that  we need to  take  responsibility  in  the conservation   of our environment   thus  including   water sources . We  have  as humanity   for  a  long   time  from generation  to   generation perpetuated  the cutting  down  of trees  leading  to   serious negative  impacts  like    massive  land  erosion  and  siltation .  We  have  indulged  in  irresponsible  industrial  global  civilizations  that  have affected   negatively  our climatic patterns  resulting  as well  in floods  and  untold  suffering from heat waves  and  droughts  losing  lives  and  resources  in the way.   We  just  need  to  be  a  responsible  citizenry  that  we live  our  lives  to the  fullest  without  the  danger  of  the  effects  of climate  change. Underneath  is  a   lamentation    for  the water crisis  in Cape town  city  of South Africa- Jambiya  is a   Creative  Life Coach ,Arts Activist ,Poet  and Storyteller  of  note.

NB – the Amanzi   Water  Journal   call upon  citizens  in  Southern Africa  to  participate  in Southern Africa Faith Communities  for Environment  Institute(SAFCEI)   Events  , programs  ,demos  and  trainings  for  a better understanding  of  environmental  issues .Follow  our  blog   , send  us  Likes  and  contact  us  at  amanziglobaljournal@gmail.com

 

A City under Siege 

 

Vusi Thembekwayo wisely said,

“Nothing is guaranteed

it is gifted”.

 

Why then do leaders control?

earth’s gifts –

water and vegetation;

destroy what is sown

by working hands

and fertilized by soil.

Theu lord over springs nurtured in stone

 

The people blame the H20 crises and famine on political manipulation and lies –

human maintenance and monocracy –

perhaps they are right,

 

Yet their bloated egos and guzzling

rob the poor of each drop

by which they live.

“Damn the bloody law”, they shout.

Conspiracy theories take precedence,

driven by an insatiable hunger for justice,

views on land repartition;

the rights of the Khoi and San.

 

Global warming, population explosions

and no rains

but to hell with the white man

who caused Africa’s pain –

May the black man rot as he

insists brown must be black.

Blame government for

gangsterism and depravity –

while the inhumane kill and plunder.

Damned apartheid that stripped

Africa’s sparkle and

broke her morale and humanity;

stole her integrity and peace;

raised her corruption

and false conditional grants.

 

Societies steal because

they are stolen from,

hate because they are hated,

they’re bigots because of prejudice,

thieves because

the poor must eat,

the old regime stole land and possessions –

the current status quo no different.

 

South Africa has become

what she hates –

a polluted representative democracy.

Hell indeed hath no fury

like a woman scorned.

 

rapists are torched yet

mothers leave toddlers to play

in streets till dark;

blame it on the system

who abuses women

as slave labour –

she lies drunk and drugged

while her boyfriend fondles

her 5year old.

He blames an unrepentant penis

and an appetite for health.

 

Evil is all around but the people

are stiff-necked and

stone institutions that

have long moved on –

It’s fathers dead and gone.

 

Communities play into the hands of apartheid’s prophecies

and bitterness has become

the compass by which

they journey into the future,

while our children die

and our earth dries up;

South Africa lashes out at the ghost who still haunts her heart and home.

 

She has ceased to take

responsibility for her actions;

It’s easier to blame a moving target;

and flog a lame horse;

 

and so her pride

and heritage disintegrates.

vigilantes move in,

the law falls at its own hand –

the mother-land is parched;

manhood is gradually killed off,

womanhood violated.

 

Capitalists

Socialists

Humanists

Scientists

debate;

 

Whose to blame –

do the rich own the mountains,

the oceans and the land –

do the people –

the Khoi or the San?

 

We challenge drought alerts;

“It’s a hoax” we say,

 

as the arid land mourns,

our egos grow,

intellectual theories mount;

Acquivers are pumped

desalination disputed –

Springs milked.

 

Manenberg revisits the stone-age

Fires ravage natural resources

Hanover park is shot into doomsday

Khayelitsha a mere carcass of its beauty –

The Lost City drenched as with

the sweat of a TB patient.

 

But our hate escalates

Our pangas fulfil their arc

Our greed grins menacingly

our poverty perverts integrity

The sangoma throws his bones –

we cannabalise –

and dog eats dog –

rebels of an alien kind.

 

When hope buckles

some relent;

but others,

pray.

 

Blame blame

Whose to blame?

 

Our taps leak

Crops die

the earth thirsts

and our blood runs free –

 

“The Wise Vusi” said,

“Nothing is guaranteed,

It is all gifted”.

 

Let the pipes of peace

ring out and pray

that earth’s gift of springs

quench Africa’s thirst.

 

(C)Jambiya

“The power of the word”

Jambiya– is an emotive writer who weaves the tragedy and victory of the human experience into a tapestry of memorable imagery and metaphor? She speaks with honesty on the spiritual and social challenges of our time. Jambiya’s works are a must read for those accustomed to the jaded perfunctory cleverness of modern wordsmiths.