For once I felt belonging to something,
As I sang along I noticed some changes happening.
I realised I had lost someone.
As I could no longer sing along but mumbling in sadness, tears falling.
I could hear their voices crying in this anthem
“Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika,
Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo.
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
Ofedise dintwe le matshwenyeho.
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa South Afrika, South Afrika”

I could hear their voices,
Whispering words in my ears,
I could hear them asking for help from South African men,
Asking for protection.
Asking what have they done wrong to us?
But I couldn’t answer because I’m a man,
I couldn’t say we’re not the same,
But shut my mouth in shame,
Because this is not a game.

South African men we have heard them crying.
Question is what will we do to help?
I for one am tired of this…tired of men who rape then kill women and children.
It’s enough…
They’re also human
They need our protection,
They need our love,
They have rights to life

For once I felt belonging to something,
As I sang along I noticed some changes happening.
I realised I had lost someone.
I had lost many loved ones because of words used in our communities such as,
Upakile lomntana, akanxibi kelo mntana,
Words inherited from old men’s generations to boys.
South African men, this needs to stop,
Women are also human, not toys.

***

This piece is part of a special collection of essays and poems called Women in the World. Click here to browse more stimulating reads.