Social Cohesion viz-a-viz Ubuntu by

MZWANDILE SANGWENI

We live in a beautiful world because God and Nature gave us an opportunity to come and stay. This symbolises that there is a purpose for each and everyone to take of what surrounds us including caring for one another. As we know that Ubuntu is not something new and I believe that the values are one and the same. But as human beings we turn to look at what favours us. We have ways of justifying our misdeeds and then turn to what we see good when the consequences dont favour us. To get straight to the point, for me as a black South African, I believe and probably say that all of us have the potential to do good, all of us SingaBantu and that makes us leave the Spirit of Ubuntu. When it comes to the animal kingdom we are the ones who are given choices whether they are good or bad. Our conscience tells us when we are wrong but our egos control us and unfortunately takes over. We look at poverty and gaps socially, between the haves and the have-nots, the social ills in our communities and you ask yourself have our ancestors turned their back on us as well as the Gods? Greed is not the tool to build the healthy social life, even the economy. I think we really need to visit the Self and start to look on what we call Spirituality because material and the head have done a lot of damage in the world, we need to look to the Mother or the Family and we need to nourish that within us to build the future. One of my favourite persons I have been introduced to is Kumi Naidoo. He says If we dont get it right , history will judge this generation harshly, as the worst tenants the planet has known, a generation which failed to hand the plant on to the next in a sustainable fashion, driving towards a literal point . In brief we need more of Sonbofu Some and Credo Mtwas guidance whom some in our society now belittles. Weve got a rich and ready younger generation who wants to make changes and I believe the time is NOW. Politics are failing the youth. It is time for us to say enough is enough! History teaches us that when decent people take risks and engage in struggles for principles, peacefully and courageously, pursuing civil disobedience where necessary , then those who occupy the instruments of power, whether in government or in financial sectors, will listen and understand says Kumi Naidoo. "We need to make our homes a place of harmony as well as community schools. We need to talk more about our ancestors and nature. We need

respect and to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. We can write so many good books but if they are not reaching the ordinary people, it will be like we are playing Yoyo. We need to talk about this wherever we are and then all is possible. I greet the Gods in you and peace be with all of us. Ubuntu Ngamandla {Ubuntu / Humanity in abundance}"