My African Dream...

As it ought to be...

May the writers write, the thinkers think and the talkers talk.
May none dare go beyond their calling towards what is not theirs to do.

May the feelers feel, the artists creatively articulate truth, may leaders lead.

May the jokers joke, the builders build and most importantly, the lovers love.
The fate of Africa lies in our ability to love.

... Love ourselves, our ancestors as much as our great-grandchildren.
As love leads the way, may grace, forgiveness, favour welcome it,

May the truth become more potent than the lie, more powerful.
We have been the wretched of the earth for too long,
Have cried too many tears, have fought way too many wars.

My prayer is that we may we all recognise the true African dream,

Let the talkers talk, the thinkers think and the dreamers dream.

Talk honestly, reflectively and realistically about the real reason we are here.
Dream up a reality more beautiful than our glorious past or wildest Imaginings,
Think up a plan so solid that it will carry us safely into the promised land.

My only wish is that Africans realise their role in their own resurrection,
That they lay down their lives for their emancipation, that they love.

Love their legacy, their fellow man and their inevitable destiny,
Love discipline, love integrity and love their freedom enough to die for it.

But most importantly, that they love themselves enough to know their worth.

21 People I Admire

1. Lindani Mbali Mnyandu. She gets to go first because I see so much of myself in her. She taught me the lesson that it’s okay to be honest to you about you. She’s incredibly succesful, incredibly artistic but on a bad day, she’s okay with saying: ‘I’m not coping.’ It takes a strong person to do that.


2. Thabo Mbeki. Most of my close friends don’t believe I like him, but in all honesty I have a world of respect for the man. I’ve come to admire one single quality he has, having the balls to lead. One of the hardest parts of being a leader is going against your followers to take them where they Need to be, besides their objections.


3. Masoja Msiza. A powerful, honest and genuine artist. Masoja is able to make you laugh, allow you to reflect, bring tears to your eyes… all in the name of art. I have spent years in the company of this artist and his biggest lesson to me has been, Speak Your Truth! He does that beautifully and I love and admire him.


4. Dr Reuel Khoza, Chairman of Nedbank. I’ve engaged with the man on a personal level, one of the biggest influences to my becoming a Pan-Africanist lady with humility and swag on top. He’s written books, conquered the world and he still has time for little people like us to drink from his cup of wisdom. I was so proud of him the day I heard about his comment to the leadership of South Africa. That is one man who walks his talk, for that I admire him.


5. Msizi Khoza. I have never met someone so young, yet a true revolutionary. He never allowed anything to stand in the way of what he knows himself to be. A while back, I dubbed him Mr President. He is committed to excellence and leadership, and he is never afraid to speak his mind when the need arises. I look to him and I realise that in the hands of people like him, the future of Africa will be bright.


6. Thomas Sankara. Ex president of Burkina Faso, a young and focused man who took it upon himself to redefine the future of Africa. Sankara believed in good health, exercise and taking care of the whole being. He also walked the talk, realising that Africans had to be self-sufficient in order to get to where they need to be. Most importantly though, Sankara believed in the empowerment of women, seeing us as having a legitimate role to play in the future of society.


7. My Ugandan bus driver. I must confess I don’t know his name, but I met him on a 9 hour bus ride between Kampala in Uganda, headed for Kigali in Rwanda. A simple man who knew the principles of success who has informed a lot of my decisions since the day I met him. He taught me to be honest, to realise that Africa needs bold leaders, he taught me the importance of family and more often than not, to see that wisdom is not the privilege only available to the elite.


8. My mother. She recently said these words to me: ‘From a young age, I have always wanted to know what lies beyond the horizon, and I’ve gone out to search for it. I’ve never let fear stop me.’ That summarises this lady in the best way, my mother has always instilled in me this belief: Never fear what you do not know, rather learn what it has to teach you about yourself and embrace it!’


9. Ebo Quagraine. He most resembles Barack Obama in my life. Mr ‘Yes We Can’ himself. Ebo has always been the first to drive us to action. A fellow insomniac, he always works beyond the call of duty, believes passionately in the future of Mother Africa, and is always ready to do whatever it takes to raise our continent. I have learnt to love Africa, by seeing his love.


10. Sakhile Mthembu. A twin-soul friend of mine, who taught me to appreciate and value art. Most contemporary artists believe in being commercial but he blessed me with an ear for music. We would leave a party of house music, drive home listening to Corrine Bailey Rae. I learnt to love the art, and to love the truth about what makes music change lives. Kindness is another lesson he taught me, kindness to the self, and more importantly to the harsh & cruel world.


11. Don Ndaba. My first gay friend. I have lived in the shadows of my friend for years and learnt to see the plight of gay people. He never chose his sexual orientation, he never wanted the judgement it came with, but as a man of honour and truth, he has carried the burden it brings. The persecution he’s had to endure has often brought me to tears, but I have loved his brightness, his positive spirit and his ability to shine.


12. Nehemiah. I am in no ways religious, I believe religion is a useful tool that can entrench in most societies a much-needed sense of morality and godliness (whoever we may consider God to be) but I refuse to be labelled religious. Nehemiah was a servant to the King who dared defy the odds and took on the task to restore the glory of Jerusalem. A lot can be learnt from his bravery, his boldness, his sense of duty and commitment to his people. His love is what I admire most, his love for those who needed him.


13. Smangele Linah Mabhida. A strong woman who had to live behind the scenes whilst taking care of her family whilst her legendary husband Moses Mabhida was in exile. Her contentment with being in the background, doing the daily chores whilst her husband was admired and fighting for our country. She is the ultimate heroine and her humility is what I admire most.


14. Katt Williams. I’m short, he’s short and we have a short people thing. Katt is a social commentator behind all of his comedy, he often comments on the need to respect women and to be proud of your roots as a black person. I admire how comedians can teach us important truths that we may not realise or acknowledge.


15. Cambridge Mokanyane. He was the head of the top 2010 world cup campaign according to FIFA, run by MTN. In the time I’ve known the man, I’ve realised how exceptionally brilliant he is. He feels his way through life, is able to drive excellence based on instinct and has always excelled. Excellence is a choice, and he’s always made the right one. From St Albans, to Unilever, to SAB, to MTN and to sport. As a fellow marketer, he taught me the golden rule to marketing: Delight The Consumer!


16. Winnie Mandela. She’s bad ass, and beautiful. Similar to Mam’ Mabhida, she had to do the best in an exceptionally difficult situation, she carried the role like a soldier and dared to speak out against all the atrocities of the era. I also like that she’s not squeaky clean. Angels rarely make history.


17. Lady Diana. Brenda Fassie. Lebo Mathosa. The world tends to dictate how we should be as women and these women refused to be reduced to other people’s perceptions. They excelled, lived and died as heroines.


18. Shaka Zulu. The man was a genius, very strategic and very resilient. He loved hard and he built something great that we’re still proud of to this day. Like him, I’d love to live forever through my achievements.


19. Flo Mokale. The ultimate artist. Give him a word, he’ll give you poetry, give him a camera he will make beautiful art, give him a stage he’ll bring tears to your eyes. I have been in awe of Flo for many years and underneath all of that, he’s incredibly funny. The best people in life have a great sense of humour.


20. Farah Hukamdad, my ex boss. She’s young at heart, and she lives straight from it. She gets excited, passionate, angry, delighted. There’s nothing mediocre about her. I never want to lose my passion for life, just like her I want to honour my heart every day that I live.


21. Slindile Didiza. I had to save the best for last. When I love someone, I find it hard to summarise my admiration for them. Sli and I have been friends for almost a decade. She has all the combinations of a heroine. Immense strength, humility and the ability to be graceful through the storm. I love her ability to love, think and process things before bringing emotions into it all, she’s taught me to be graceful through the storms of life, a lesson I really needed to learn.