Africa's last and only hope - an annus horribilus
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 3:08PM 
I have been convicted by sentiment of negativity that seems to be gripping our miracle democracy! The one thing that I cannot forget, and that I wish many more of us would remember, is that the new South Africa was birthed in a miracle of grace! With the exception of a few extremist acts, our transition to the contemporary democracy was without incident! We were blessed with an incredible first President, in the person of Nelson Mandela, and we have seen relative peace, prosperity, and change, in our nation in the last 14 years.
I am not naive to the reality that the change is too slow, that it still benefits the elite (now a black elite instead of the white elite of the last dispensation), and that the poorest of the poor still suffer and struggle while many individuals enrich themselves. I can see that western capitalism, individualism and personal gain are eroding African values - yet, I recall that we were birthed in a miracle of grace!
Wouldn't it be sad if we turned out the be the obnoxious, rebellious, good for nothing teenager, that simply get ignored as he self destructs? Our common life surely has more worth than that!
God has a plan, a desire, a will, a dream even, for this nation and we (particular Southern African Christians) have a responsibility to see that we fight the cancer of pessimism that threatens to consume our blessed beginnings.
I have often heard white South Africans speak negatively of their loss of privelage! However, it is still quite a shock when I hear black South Africans express their utter dissapointment and disgust at the new government.
Today I read this blog post The annus horribilis of Africa's last and only hope by Felix Ngasama in which he writes:
The year 2008 is so far proving to be South Africa’s annus horribilis since its rebirth as a new democratic state in 1994. Things haven’t been worse since 1994.
This year has brought with it the aftermath of the ruling party’s most divisive national elections where Jacob Zuma, a man acquitted of rape charges and still likely to stand trial for corruption in the third quarter of this year, trounced President Thabo Mbeki and emerged as the new leader of the ANC, thus making him the likely next president of the country.
Zuma is rumoured to be a traditional and clueless man without formal education who cannot even diarise his day or manage his basic personal finances. This is just part of the doubts and fears of most South Africans — mostly the middle class — at the prospect of Jacob Zuma becoming the president of the country. Most South Africans, although they may not admit it publicly, are waiting with bated breath in anticipation of the political buffoonery Zuma might bring with him on the presidential stage, as indicated by his poor showing in a recent BBC documentary titled No More Mandelas where he was interviewed by Fergal Keane but dismally failed to impress.....
The article goes on to explicate the woes of load shedding, potholes in our roads, the poor economy and a variety of other ails. Yes, these things concern me - they are inconvenient and worrying. However, the question is how do we change things!?
Surely, we, as Christians, a people of HOPE, have a responsibility to keep that hope alive? Perhaps we could pray more earnestly, perhaps we need to take moral formation more seriously (a lot of our current struggles comes from poor moral formation), perhaps we can take greater responsibility for the needs that we can begin to address, perhaps we need to own that this is our country, we decide who runs it, and how it should be run... Perhaps, just perhaps, we could begin a conspiracy of hope to overthrow the doom and gloom that threatens to engulf us.
Easter teaches us this valuable lesson - the greatest acts of brutality, torture, and theft (killing God's only son), can be turned in the world's greatest act of grace, newness of life, and redemption! Jesus is still King!
Have a blessed Easter - may it be a season of hope!
Technorati tags: Hope, South Africa, Christian, Easter
Reader Comments (6)
The election of Jacob Zuma as president ofn the ANC was a reaction against some of the things that Thabo Mbeki failed to do (including failing to allow Eskom's generation capacity to keep up with its wider distribution). But when I look at the leaders of other countries, I think I'd rather have Thabo Mbeki than, say, George Bush. We haven't lost the grace entirely, but we do need to remember that God's gifts of grace can't be stored up for future use. The manna goes mouldy after yesterday.
Hi Dion - I seem to recollect these words from somewhere - Indeed the hope we all have and need and to be expounded in South Africa & Africa.
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)
So Paul then sees a didactic element to the cross of Christ in that it ‘teaches’ us to change from our former ways. The grace displayed in the cross becomes not only the means by which people are reconciled to God it also becomes the means whereby the individual is transformed into the likeness of Christ as he/she grows in Christian maturity. The gospel teaches godliness.
I do not know if anyone checks this page anymore, but would like to thank the author of these thoughts. I agree fully!!! I only wish that there were enough people willing to encourage! I would very much like to HOPE EVERYDAY, but that I know would not be possible. But thank you for giving me hope again. God Bless.
Daniël
I do not know if anyone checks this page anymore, but would like to thank the author of these thoughts. I agree fully!!! I only wish that there were enough people willing to encourage! I would very much like to HOPE EVERYDAY, but that I know would not be possible. But thank you for giving me hope again. God Bless.
Daniël
October 2009
HOPE is still prevailing. Read Hosea (all of it) and then the last chapter(14) you realise, God is READY to do according to His desire - to forgive and to safe. Turn around, and He is READY, waiting for you/us for me that is HOPE.
Hi Anonymous,
Thanks for the post (and for all the other folks who also took the time to post their thoughts!) Interaction, and some form of connection that leads to 'community' is part of the solution - at least I think that it is the best way to cultivate and sustain true hope!
Thank you for your suggestion of reading Hosea - I agree that there is much hope to be found in the scriptures. I'm going to sit down and read the book of Hosea again.
Have a great day!
Dion