Harambe Afrika!

We have moved!

It's been a while since we posted something on this blog, guess what! we are Alive. The beginning of this year we made a lot of noise about 2008 being two thousand and great/200gr8. It is certainly is. One of our goals this year was to travel, 200gr8 did not dissappoint we travelled to Durban in March and to Cape Town in May. We going back to Durbs next week. And before the end of the year we will go to atleast one camping spot.

On first August we started a new job at Zeiss- Irene in Centurion. We finally got a buyer for our house in Saulsville, this was a difficult one. I must say it was hard letting go of our beautiful spacious home. We will get another one. We eventually got our new 2008 Corsa utility sport on the 2nd of August. We moved to Eco Park on the 1st of september, Eco is just 5km to work.

It's been more than three months for us with Gugu our beautiful girlfriend, she is so lovely. All I can say is that all of these was possibble because of hope and faith. We always new that Our Father, God Almighty will provide. We know for a fact that more are still coming. We bless the Lord our God who never sleep nor slumber, he watches us everyday. Thank you God.

Never give up on the things you want, you have them already.
I must go now, need to enjoy this change in my life.

King of Kings and Heroes

This year in my country South Afrika we celebrate Good friday and Human rights day on the same day 21 March. It is very difficult for one to write about this historic days on the same page. Good friday is moved around every year, I don't know who is responsible for that. Good friday has a lot of significant meaning for us Christians. We celebrate it as the day Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins.

God created man in his own image, the man fell and was expelled from the Garden of Eden. The Holy father God, send Jesus Christ so that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus even though He had no sin Himself, died for us. He rose on the third day and the bible state that He was exalted. His name became the most powerful name, the name above all names. He became the Lion of Judah, the Prince of peace, the Councillor, the Messiah, the King of Kings. Even today Jesus Christ is sitting on the right hand of the Father, interceding and defending us. Tommorrow and days to come, we will honour His glory, we will celebrate His blood. Amen

On the other hand 21 March 1960, 69 people were killed while protesting against pass laws in South Afrika. The pass laws were implemented on Afrikan people, limiting their movements in their own country. The Pan Africast Congress (PAC) organised the march, where by thousands of people were to gather outside police stations without their pass books, demanding the police to arrest them. In Sharpeville the matter got out of hand, the police fired to a the defenseless men, women and children. The number of the wounded goes up as to 300. A few months after that, the prime minister declared a state of emergency arresting thousands of people, increasing police and military presence in the townships and banning all the political organizations including the African National Congress(ANC) and the PAC

The international community was angered by the events of March 1960, adopting resolution 134(Urging SA government to abandon apartheid) and later removing SA from commonwealth of nations. The day became known amongst other names as The Heroes day and Sharpeville day. However after 1994 when we gained our freedom the day became known as the Human rights day. Today I salute the Heroes that participated on the march and also those that lost their lives for the cause of Human rights. We have not yet reach our destiny, but we shall Overcome.

Wishing everyone a Joyful Easter and a Heroic Human rights day.

Afrika Unite!

Over the weekend

I was very lucky my weekend started on thursday. I was supposed to go to a funeral in Tzaneen, one of my uncles past away. May his soul rest in peace. Due to other technicalities and transport problems I could not go. I spent my friday night in church; youth service. It always delivers beyond expectation. I managed to hijack someone and convince us that a movie at night will be a good idea, we went an watch Fool's Gold. No strings attached, just a sister from church.



On saturday I was awaken by a phone call from a friend who wanted me to help them move house. I am not a courier! I did lend a hand, even though it took most of my time. I am now a member of Mboweni Development Assosciation(MDA) a society for the Mboweni clan living in Gauteng. I went to the first meeting. I am very impressed, there will be lot of fun in this. My intentions are clear to meet my brothers and sisters socialise at least once a month.



After the meeting I went to meet the three Th's Thabiso, Thabang and Thulani. As usual Thabiso made me wait for more than an hour at his complex. He finally arrives, but is reluctant to go to Thabang's. Thabang wanted us there. We arrived at Thabang's only to be greeted by grilled stake and wors, Our other friend was also there Chivas Regal. I always like the warmth of Thabang's family, for me the man is doing well.



In the company of Chivas, we chat about politics, sport, relationships and a whole lotta things. It was fun. We went back to Thabiso's after 12 mid-night, leaving Thabang and his family. And now Thulani finally joins us. We chat until the early hours of the morning.

In the morning I went back to my place, to get ready for church. AFM Sunnyside, at the moment there is no place I rather be. The church service was awesome. The sermon was about keeping our eyes on Christ. A very good teaching. After Church I went to watch a play at my kasi(Adopted) Atteridgeville hall. They delayed for about an hour, the play started at 15h00. While waiting I was watching small boys playing my favourate sport, not soccer but table tennis. I will join them very soon, I love table tennis.

The play did not disappoint, it was well organised. A lot of dance, a lot of song and good acting. The story line was a bit of a cliche' but I did not mind. The attendance was vey poor which I blame it on the organisers, it was badly advertised. Outside the hall, there was not even one poster. I saw the ad very far from the venue, due to my love for theatre I could not stay behind.

I don't have a luxury of sunday afternoon big-momma's lunch, I enjoyed my Spatlho with juice. My weekend became more fun when I saw Amakhosi demolishing the not so Free State stars. Five goal thriller, great!

I prepared supper for my house mates, mixed grill. I finished very late but the guys enjoyed it. The dishes are always a problem for me, luckily last week when I was in Durban someone was handling that. The dishes was the final scene for the weekend, went to sleep like an adult; peacefully.

The weekend was great, looking forward to this week.

"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, non but ourselves can free our minds" Bob

Keep ya head up.

Afrikan Katekani.

NOW

There is a disturbing statement that persist in a lot of us; In my time. We constantly want to go back to the past. The past seems comfortable, the future seems terreble. While we keep ourselves busy with yesterday and tommorrow, our todays just pass without notice. The is precious gift that God has given us the present (NOW).

NOW is the time, Se kunjalo. I have a very special friend who inspires me about living in the present, about enjoying a NOW. Our todays may not be as pleasant as we want them to be, guess what? yesterday was as bad and tommorrow might not come. The only given time we have without a doubt is this day, this hour, this minute and this very second. We need to cherish the NOW, is the only time we have. The present is fading away.

Procastination is the thief that continously steals our todays, our present and our NOW. Living on past mistakes eats away the present. Let's all live in the NOW, when tommorrow comes it will find us still living in the present.

To the Girlfriends, with love

If I don't call you as much as I used to do
If I forget to pick you up
If I forget the very important dates of our relationship
If I don't take you out for a movie or dinner
It doesn't mean that I don't love you anymore.
I am a bit pre-occupied by the AFCON Ghana 2008.
All of this irregularities will only last for 20 days starting from yesterday.
I still love you.

Bring it home, Bafana Bafana!

I am no soccer expert and neither a soccer star. I don't want to dwell on the technicalties on how Bafana Bafana is going to be the African champions. I am going to be sentimental and patriotic about this one. We have a chance in winning it. Why? Because we are participating in the tournament.

I say to Bafana that rankings are just numbers. In the field the only numbers that apply are 11 against 11 finsh and klaar. As I bid our beloved soldiers farewell, I want to say to them that they are more than capable. In any team, it is not about the big-names in that team, it's about how inter-dependent they are on the field. It's about the ability to play as a team.

I wish the players and the technical team a safe journey to Ghana. When you get there, your mandate is to bring the cup home. We must show Afrika and the world that we are ready for 2010.

God bless you boys!

Where are they going to play?

In a normal society, at 17 when you meet children playing on the street you join in and play or just wave and pass. A 17yr old boy went to Skielik informal settlement and started shooting at the kids together with their parents. What kind of a society are we living in today? The reports state that he was accompanied by someone, probably white. As a result of the shooting four people died. The youngest being three months old. Innocent people died for no apparent reason. I am not inciting racism, I just want to know what those poor black people have done, to deserve such a punishment.

People living in informal settlement are poor and they are constantly brutalised by the conditions they live under, on top of that they are terrorised by boys as young as seventeen, seventeen... seventeen damn, damn idiot. The reports also state that in 2003 this same idiot was convicted of murder, but the sentence was suspended due to age( I think it's because his father is a farmer)

Other people are saying, we must not be quick in saying it was racially motivated. If it was not, why didn't he start shooting at home or why didn't he shoot the person accompanying him. He opted to shoot at poor innocent people who happened to be black. This idiot was only born in 1990, who taught him that the people with dark skin deserve to die. At fifteen he has already started terrorising black people.

If kids are shot while they are playing others in the hands of their mothers, who is going to protect them? Where are they going to play?

I am deeply disturbed by the facts of this incident. I condemn those killings.Let the law protect the people; poor or rich, educated or illiterate.

My sincere condolences to the families that lost their loved ones.
May their souls rest in peace.

Good Cop, Bad Cop

In South Africa is not only people who are in trouble with the law. Right now the law is in trouble with the law. Is Gerrie Nel a bad cop, or Jackie Selebi a good cop. I think Nel is a bad cop and Selebi a worse one. Between this two gentlemen who is investigating who? The scorpions who are well resourced obtain a warrant to arrest the SAPS Selebi. The warrant is cancelled after the sacking of the NPA boss Vusi Pikoli. At the same time the SAPS obtain a warrant to arrest Nel, the arrest is delayed but finally takes place.

Nel is behind bars, Selebi is a free man. Is there a force that is protecting Selebi? If indeed he is being protected, does it mean that he is guilty of something? We have an overwhelming statistics of crime in this country; murder, robbery, fraud, rape to mention a few. All this social ills must be fought by people, SAPS, Scorpion and other agencies. How are we going to combat crime if the leaders of the law enforcement agencies are busy pointing fingers at each other?

Everyone must be equal before the law. If Selebi has transgressed, he must be brought to book. Let's just wait and see what is going to happen with Nel and Pikoli. Justice must prevail.

Happy Birthday to the Congress

96 years ago on this day a powerful movement was formed in South Africa, then known as Union of South Africa. A group of chiefs, church leaders and interllectuals met to form a voice of the natives who have been desposed of their land and rights. Among them was Pixley ka Isaka Seme, Alfred Mangena, Dr John Langalibalele Dube, Sol Plaaitjie to mention a few. On that day 1912 January 08, The South African Native National Congeress(SANNC) that later became African National Congress in 1923 was formed.

The Congress was commited to the non-violent, passive resistance struggle. It emphasised on one man one vote, land struggles, non-sexiest, non-racist to mention challenges of that time. The congress grew bigger into a liberation movement, then later a ruling party after 27 April 1994.

As we approach the centenary in 2012, I wish the mass democratic movement a Happy Birthday.

Let's all unite, mobilize and fight on until we better the lives of our people. What is important in all Democratic Movements is to SERVE THE PEOPLE

Aluta Continua!
Katekani

2008, Two thousand and Great

This is a first post for 2008, I would like to welcome everyone and wish you well in this year of greatness and abundance. A lot of people are busy with the sentiment two thousand and great, you can call me a conformer, but I also subscribe to that sentiment.

Apart from greatness, I have also added abundance. When people asked me for my resolutions, I told them; travelling. In order to travel one needs funds, I really don't care where the funds will come from all I know is that there will be a lot of travelling. A friend of mine said travelling is not enough there need to be improvements in all aspects of my life. That's where abundance come from. One needs to enjoy life in abundance.

People will ask, why this year, what makes it different from the other years? It is two thousand and great no one will change that for me. To everyone as we start this beautiful year that has been given unto us by the Almighty God. Let's sing the song; Two thousand and great, the year of greatness and abundance.

Happy new year, to everyone. In the words of my wise friend "I pray that you may live in the perfect will of God in 2008"

Miracles

When we think of miracles it's always about something that blows awy our minds. We never think about small little things that makes life to be a great miracle. There are a lot of people who died in their sleep, sleeping in the evening and then fail to wake up in the morning. To be able to wake up in the morning is one of the greatest miracles God is performing on us.

There are few small things that I want to mention. To me they form a whole lot of list of miracles we experience everyday. To be able to see, to smell, to hear, to taste, to touch, to laugh and to talk. There are people who miss one or two of these, that does not mean they lack miracles. The fact that they still survive without one or two of those miracles makes it even greater.

Another miracle is having people around us, I love people. It is a great miracle that we have our families, friends, coliques and just people on the street. Smile and wave you are passing an angel.

For every one bad thing that is happening in our lives now, there are probably a million positive things in us already. We just need to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch, to talk and to laugh. We will experience the miracles. Life is great, celebrate it.

Live positivly, pray for greater miracles, answer and most importantly receive.

Halelujah

Over the weekend I enjoyed a total Praise and Worship. On friday it was a Praise and festival, a lot of Opera and boere musiek. I am not complaining, it was for the Glory of God. Sunday morning we continued and went forward in the late service. It is always great to praise God and it is wonderful to worship our Father. Let His name always be glorified.

You are my king, You are the Lamb, The Lion of Judah, The Seed of Abraham The Holy One, God's Only Son, You are the King of who I am. Hosana, Hosana, Hosana blessed be the Lord, Blessed be the Lord of my Salvation.

To God be the glory. Amen

If truth be told

I suppopse it will be a good thing to congratulate the Springboks(Amabokoboko). To me that's all they are Springboks a division of SA Rugby. They have manage to divide the SA rugby even today, and now that they have won the world cup it will be very difficult to enforce the quota system. The Capatain John Smit said the system must be reviewed, but not to favour the under-represented talented previously disadvantage players. He wants the status quo to prevail. Sport or Corporate must be truly reflective of the non-sexist, non-racial democratic South Africa. Cricket, Rugby and the Corporate does not want to transform.

The media is busy writing that the win in Stade de France influnced a racial unity, because South Africans were celebrating together, Nonsense! I saw a group of white people lifting their middle fingers at the last minute black rugby fans on the corner of Schoeman & Prinsloo Streets, Pretoria. The were probably saying to themselves " Why are you celebrating, it is not your sport but ours"

It's been thirteen years into this democracy, the intergration must start showing now. In Sport, business and land ownership. Black people in their nature love to celebrate and have fun, I saw people who don't have an idea about a try celabrating and being obnoxious on the road. I will never habour racism. My blood will only be green, if I see the rainbow colours in the now lilly white rugby team.

People in the end, we are all red and we are all white. All of us our bones are white and the blood is red.

Congratulations to Amabokoboko for beating their former masters the English.

Scars of love

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole that was behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out through the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.
He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.
In the house, his mother was looking out through the window. She saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.
Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed, and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. >From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms, just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began a very incredible tug-of-war between the two.
The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go.
A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim, and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy SURVIVED. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. On his arms, there were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh; in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked the boy if he would show him his scars.
The boy lifted his pant legs. Then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go."
You and I can identify with that little boy.
We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly, and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been right there, holding on to you.
The Scripture teaches that God loves you.
You are a child of God. He wants to protect you, and provide for you in every way. But, sometimes, we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That is when the tug-of-war begins.
If you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He will not ever let you go.
God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life, and what they are going through.
Never judge other persons scars, because you don't know how they got them.
Also, it is so important that we are not too selfish to receive the blessings of these messages without forwarding them to someone else.
Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them too enough to not let them go!!!
God bless! "Our Deepest Fear is not that we are inadequate Our Deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure"

Author: Unknown

What's in a name?

I have two rare great names, even if I have to say that myself. Katekani Ivan. Well I read somewhere that Ivan means gracious gift from GOD. People usually pronounce it Irvin, that's not my name. My favourate name KATEKANI, from Xitsonga kateka means be blessed and -ni is a plural suffix. Katekani means be blessed, everytime one pronounce my name is actually proclaiming blessings for self and others. Other names related: Nkateko= blessing, Mikateko/Mkateko= blesings , Katekile= blessed. and Katekisa= bless. Takalani is Venda, it means be happy, in Xitsonga is Tsakani both this names may rhyme with Katekani, but are not the same.

Most times I have to repeat myself after each introduction, no problem I'm proclaiming blessings twice. What makes me angry is when people ask for a second name or a nickname that is easy to remember. Ever since I started working I'm known as Katekani and even the Afrikaaners remember my name. They can also pronounce it right. I have collected a lot of shortcuts/nicknames derived from my beautiful name. To mention a few: KK, Kay, Kaka, Katza and Skatz.

My name is Katekani, can I please be called by my name.

Hi khensile, Katekani hinkwenu( Thank you may you all be blessed)

Return to GOD

It is so sad about all the news we hear everyday, our kids killing and raping each other. Countless number of fatal accidents, HIV-Aids, Jails getting full, what nonsense is that? What kind of a country have we achieved? We can't build enough schools, Churches, recreational centers and other positive institutions we need in our socities. All the budget goes to Police, Social grants, prisons, hospitals , replacing a cable that was stolen for copper. Individually we spend a lot of money replacing cellphones, cars some furniture that was stolen by the child next door.

Lets face it we are living in turmoil. There is nothing we can do, if we do not return to the creator. I am in engineering: maintenance if all else fails in my department you go to the product own, someone from Research and Development(R&D). We all know that we were created by God, therefore God He is the product(human beings) owner. We can only get it right if we return to GOD. We need to do good as individuals, and also realise that without The Creator there is nowhere we are going.

God warned us in 2 Chronicles 7:14, He said: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Our land will be blessed only if we humble ourselves and return to God.

Xikwembu xi mi katekisa(God bless you)

Are we there yet?

Recently we have been hearing the show down on apartheid crimes linking the former President FW and the ANC. A white father wants the ANC leaders to pay for the landmine that resulted in a death of his child and wife. On the other hand an Afrikan( Not Afrikaaner) father wants FW to pay the death of his two sons that were shot dead in a house, the house was believed to be an APLA safe house. FW authorised the raid. My question is have we achieved the non-sexist and non-racial society we were fighting for? You guessed right the answer is NO!

The problem is that we do not want to work together to achieve this. The NNP joined ANC so what? What difference does it make? South Africa belongs to all who live in it Afrikan or white. Before we achieve a non-sexist, non-racial society we can't do anything about poverty, HIV/Aids, crime and other social ills that are facing us today. We are all equal, we must start today to work together for the betterment of the live of our children.

Working together does not mean only in the parliament or at the workplace; lets work together in shopping malls, garage, in our residential areas and a lot of places where there is an opportunity.

Yes we are not there yet, but we will get there if we put our heads together.

A luta continua...

HOPE

It's that time. When one feels it's just not enough. You wear a smile everyday, you laugh hoping they will all go away. Hoping when you wake up, things would have dramatically changed. Life proves you right something has changed, it's a new day. I have been feelin down and up lately only because I can pick myself up. When the circumstance tells me that's it, you not going to make it. I look for strength within, something to motivate me, something to push me forward.

I know one thing for sure; GOD will never forsake me. The knowledge of the truth is comforting. I will continue to fight on, to smile, to laugh, to cry and to HOPE for a change. I went passed a lot of hurdles and I am not ready to stop now.

I know my redeemer liveth...

Peace be with you all... I love you

Happy Birthday Tata

I'm joining millions of this universe in wishing Tata uMadiba a wonderful Birthday.
Long Live my Afrikan President.