Let’s Start A New South African Story… by Athol Williams

Still feeling yesterday as I woke up this morning… writes Jennifer Crwys-Williams, from Saturdays With Jenny on KayaFM. Looking down on that field at Loftus Versfeld, at the goodwill, the smiles, the excitement & trying to convey what I was seeing to listeners who couldn’t see except through my eyes. It was a fabulous day. My best?

I left the KayaFM broadcasting booth for about five minutes. When I returned, Gugu Mfuphi and David O’Sullivan had taken over, and standing behind them I saw a field suddenly cleared of all things military and there was Cyril Ramaphosa dancing in the midst of this tightly woven circle of white clad dancers moving him around in what must have been a traditional Venda dance of praise or celebration or both.

I realised how little I know about our customs. Can anyone point me in the right direction to help me close this gap?

I had just finished playing poet Athol Williams’ specially written poem on the inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa. Athol is the most obliging man. Didn’t flinch when I contacted him more or less the night before to ask him would he, could he, write something to celebrate the day.

This is what he wrote, but do tune in to my show next Saturday around 09h35 where I’ll be replaying it with all its passion, love of the land we live in and a marvellous delivery.

A NEW SOUTH AFRICAN STORY – by Athol Williams

(On the Occasion of the Inauguration of the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, Pretoria, 25 May 2019)

Let’s start a new story, a new South African story; let it stampede down the streets, gallop across open fields, tumble into gardens through gateways and swing from branch to wire, and trickle its way down columns and pillars of power.

A story not of having more and pressing down but taking less and lifting up; a story of many streams flowing into one new river; a story of hope, that brings us joy, that gets us to our feet, that makes the sun shine even in the deepest darkness of the coldest winter.

Even if crooked in grammar or spoken with twisted words, or commas and capitals that strangle the verbs, let’s tell this story; in hip-hop, poem or prose, foreign or mother-tongue, on paper or flag from rooftop hung, let’s tell this story; this new freedom story that bursts through the walls inside as the cries of our fathers, and the songs of our mothers rumble in our veins; this story tired of waiting, that needs to be told, that needs to flow, that needs to pour, that needs to rise to fill the emptiness that others have made and seek to hold.

A story that reminds us that we are whole, a people with standing, a people with dreams, a people with stories. Let’s flood the roads of greed and the highways of hatred with this new story; let’s pour it into the dams, into the lakes, let’s top up the streams and springs, pipe it into the fountains, channel it to the oceans, and speak it to the clouds so when it rains, our dream that people are people though other people, pours in torrents; that we may be free – our hearts unchained, that we live as one – the walls torn down, that all might know, that we may recall, that we are magnificent! Let’s tell this story, this new South African story. © Athol Williams

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Watch Cyril Ramaphosa Post-Elections on Carte Blanche tonight

The post-election dawn has broken with a widely respected Cyril Ramaphosa entrenched by popular vote at the helm of the country. Carte Blanche tonight examines what the president’s powers and prerogatives are as he grapples with turning the country’s fortunes around and bringing hope back to the land.

Watch the show overseas from Tues | Watch in SA tonight on DStv Now

Thank you to every #SouthAfrican who bore witness to the iconic and historical #SAInauguration19. Not only was your presence appreciated, but your support and enthusiasm are deeply valued. It was truly the #PeoplesInauguration, and an honest celebration of #AfricaDay2019. pic.twitter.com/2ByxfAjmHt

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) May 25, 2019