It’s 7:30 am and the mercury is hovering at 32 degrees Celsius. Perfect weather to chill at Blaauwberg but instead it is work as usual. Oh how I envy those who are heading to the beach, enjoying the sun, the scenery and the eye-candy on offer.
“I’m late because the alarm was late. My motjie was late, the kids were late for the school bus, and now the train is late. How late is that?” a guy asks his friend.
“Are you sure you are still in the present?” the friend replies with a cheeky grin.
The conversation gets interrupted by the announcement:
“All trains to Cape Town are running five minutes late. We apologise for any inconvenience”.
A lady dressed in a tight black short number elegantly walks by, glances at her watch and shakes her head.
“I wouldn’t like to be late for an appointment with her,” I think to myself.
The guy whose alarm overslept continues: “My dad and I had a great chat last night. He told me about Ashley Kriel, a young struggle hero from Bonteheuwel who died at the hands of security forces during the 1980’s uprising.”
“There’s this young film-maker, Nadine Cloete, who is busy shooting a documentary on this young guy’s life.”
“I was inspired to hear that this guy, only eighteen years old, was prepared to lay down his life for our freedom,” he explains.
“My bra, that’s great!” his friend replies.
“We don’t hear about our heroes. Our parents are not telling us these things. That’s why we’re getting lob-sided versions of the struggle.”
“Bonteheuwel, like many other townships on the Cape Flats, are crime-ridden and infested with gangs.”
“On top of it, we lack passion and purpose in this generation. We are trapped, caught up with material things, driven by greed as if that is giving us fulfilment bra,” the friend adds with a saddened look in his eyes.
Alarm Guy thinks for a moment; takes a deep breath then says: “We must never lose hope, ever. We must bring about change in this country”.
“We need genuine restitution and reconciliation and equal opportunity for all. That’s the reason, passion and purpose which young people like Ashley Kriel were prepared to die for.”
For a moment silence engulfs the two as they take the time to reflect.
“A nation which forgets its martyrs will soon be forgotten,” springs to my mind as the train appears; the irritation of it running late almost erased…
***
Urban Dictionary
“Blaauwberg” – Refers to Blaauwberg Beach also called Bloubergstand which has the view of Table Mountain we see on postcards and in magazines.
“motjie” – An Afrikaaps word for ‘wife’.