I Am A Bushbuckridgian

I am a Bushbuckridgian

 (Inspired by President Thabo Mbeki’s I Am An African)

I owe my being to the hills and the valleys of Makerepeni, the small mountains of Acornhoek, the curvaceous roads of Mambhumbhu, the beautiful shades of Cottondale and the rivers of Hlalakahle, the trees of Ka-Shorty, the flowers of Clara, the small dams of Seville and the ever-changing seasons that define the face of our Bushbuckridge.

My body has frozen in our abandoned farms in Xidakeni and those in Shatale and Casteel. The scary cracks of the bridge between Gottenburg and Tlhavekisa have been the cause of my misery, and subsequently remind me of the people of Mariti.

The smell of nature in our communities has been as pleasant to us as the sight of the citizens of the veld in Ngala, Tintswalo and Timbavati game reserves.

The dramatic shapes of Utha, the warm weather of Dixie, the soil-coloured waters of N’wandlamhari river, the bumpy roads of Welverdiend and the sands of Khokhovela river, have all been panels of the set that ensure a smile on our friendly faces.

At times, and in fear, I have wondered whether I should concede equal citizenship of our region to the leopard in Vuyatela, the lion in Djuma, the elephant in Skukuza, the hyena in Singita, the black mamba in Londolozi and the locust in White City.

My knowledge is formed by the victories that are the jewels in Hluvukani, the victories that ensured the construction of many schools and a beautiful hotel where we visit as a recreational facility.

I am the grandchild who lays fresh flowers in Swikwengweni in Ludlow on my way to church, to show my appreciation of life.

I am inspired by the chief’s kraal in Ka-Madizi in Islington, where our title deeds office is located and our residential permits are obtained.

I am the distant child of the great Buyisonto and Thulamahashe, who unfailingly made it possible for our region to thrive to greater socio-economic heights.

I am a descendant of the warrior men and women who were displaced from Andover, Mala Mala, Manyeleti and many other areas that have since been turned into nature conservation havens, where we visit to witness the beauty of nature.
I hold with high regard the people of Mkhuhlu and Rolle, the gate in Mankozola, the bridge swimming under a river in ka-Kumani, the water in Phororweni and the scary bush in Marhapyani, that serve as perfect examples of regional diversity.

With all these experiences and many others that my ink could not paint, no one dares challenge me when I say, I am Malphia Honwane and I am a Bushbuckridgian.

The Incredible Power Of Community Development

I have an inspiring story to share with South Africa and the rest of the world. On Friday, 11 March 2016, I partnered with my two friends: Chesley Mnisi of Lunghisani Trading and Jurie Moolman of Djuma Private Game Reserve to host an interschool debate competition in Manyeleti Circuit in Bushbuckridge. The competition took place a Dayimani High School in Gottenburg and involved nine high schools that are based in rural communities, where extracurricular activities are not a usual arrangement.

What inspired the move was that I sat down and thought of how best I can assist the learners to improve their communication and presentation skills, and I resolved that a debate competition was a way to go. It worked very well because at the end of the day, we had 27 learners who participated and expressed themselves freely. The biggest challenge that rural school learners are confronted with at tertiary institutions is their inability to confidently give a presentation in front of the masses, and this cripples their academic performance.

The event was also graced by local musicians such as Themba Nyathi, DJ Kukza and Tizzman who came to entertain the learners at no cost. Although the event did not have monetary prizes, all learners who made it to the top 10 will have the luxury to visit Djuma Private Game Reserve and be part of an educational game drive, free of charge.

What made the day to be more eventful was that other learners who could not be part of the debate were given a platform to showcase their skills such as poetry and music. This may look like a small gesture, but it is small things like these that go a long way in motivating learners to believe in themselves despite their challenging backgrounds.

We need more people to stand up and champion the cause of community development. I would like to urge other community members, particularly businessmen, to invest in our children and help build a better society. It may be too difficult to recognise the value of a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would not be the same without that drop. Let us all be the change that we want to see in our communties.