Wow. Will this country ever move forward and just become one happy nation?

16-year-old Kine Dineo Mokwena-Kessi seems to be one of those people who will hinder the progression. In a very well-written piece for the Cape Argus (read the full piece here), Kine describes her experience of moving to Cape Town, and what a seemingly racist city it is.

Kine has a plan for answering questions about Cape Town – the MFDAR – Mental Flow chart to Determine the Appropriate Response.

“Then proceed to talk about that beautiful hike up Lion’s Head and how beautiful Clifton beach was last Sunday.”

She says when talking to white people, the above is the best answer. I can only assume (but you know what they say about assumption) that she means only white people go to Clifton or climb Lion’s Head? Which is ridiculous. A) ANYONE can climb Lion’s Head and B) it is a beautiful walk with exquisite 360′ views of the city and Table Mountain, so why wouldn’t ANYONE want to be up there?

Kine also asks why Cecil John Rhodes is still perched on the steps of UCT. He is there because he is part of our country’s history. And yes, a big part of our history has been crappy, but we will soon have more statues of Mandela and today’s leaders on the steps of important buildings, because they would have also helped build our nation.

Faith Ndlela, a Cape Argus reader and blogger, wrote a response to Kine’s article. She argues that, in Cape Town, she is just ‘herself’. She doesn’t take people’s skin colour into account; she answers how she would answer to anybody, regardless.

“People should stop being so sensitive to everything. You see what you choose to believe and want to believe.”

Faith makes a good point – no, not everyone will always like you. Deal with it. That is life. People have uneducated opinions.

Because of Apartheid, South Africa as a whole has a lot to deal with, and in order to do this we need to look forward and stop blaming the past. We don’t need to forget about it – it is, sadly, a part of our history.

” If someone is being hateful to you, isn’t it better to respond by expressing the opposite of their hatred?”

Yes, I couldn’t agree more. Be the bigger person. Don’t spread hatred, spread love. The whole planet (let alone South Africa) needs to learn forgiveness. South Africa needs to follow in the ways of Mandela. We need to help one another so that we can grow.

“Being hateful to any race is an insult to what Nelson Mandela fought for.”

When it comes down to it, we are all just human. And we only get one chance at life.

Source: IOL and Cape Argus