Staffrider Vol.6 No.2 1985 - DISA

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Ihe teacher hadhardly dismissed us whenEdward gave him a hard onebetween die eyes, followed bya hot one from me.the farms, Babyface, the only differenceis that you wheel your bike instead ofriding it. Had it not been for Monde'sfriends, who roared with laughterbehind them, Edward would havestrangled him. He never brought thebicycle again.One day, just after lunch, a heavilybuilt woman clad in traditional Zuluattire and carrying two sticks, stormedinto the class. Mkhethwa followedtimidly close behind her.'Sa-wu-bo-na ma-ma!' we chanted asusual when an elder entered the classroom.But she ignored us and wentstraight to the teacher who was lookingstartlingly at the woman.'Where's the tsotsi who's provokingmy child?' demanded the woman glaringat our teacher.The teacher stared back in bafflement.T say where's the tsotsi who'sprovoking my child, can't you hear?'charged the woman pointing one stickat Mkhethwa and stamping the floorwith the other. 'My child is called thelion that sleeps in the dark forests ofAfrica right under your nose and youtell me that you don't know. Today hewas even robbed of his money forlunch.'Where's this tsotsi?' demanded thewoman turning to Mkhethwa whoquickly surveyed the room but couldnot locate Monde and Killer who hadtaken refuge beneath a bench.Someone must have informed theheadmaster for she entered the classroomand managed to cool the womandown. The culprits were hauled out,summoned to the office and punished.Among the Standard Twos there wasa stout guy with large ears andprotruding cheeks called Vincent. Hewas new at school and Monde must haveregretted his arrival because he playedrough, especially with the gang, whofeared him. The guys called him Vulture.He called Monde Mousy, usually inthe presence of the girls. AlthoughMonde hated this name he neveranswered back. With suppressed angerhe would only stretch his little mouthto its furthest, and eye Vincent withintense dislike. This indeed made Mondelook like a mouse.'I'm V.V.M. — Vincent VezokwakheMthombeni!' Vulture would boast,,
S. G. K.Roy Joseph CottonI've Heard the B Jhythm of Your Blood-FlowIMurungiYou who bear the name of Upright OneOh Straightforward Onewhy curse me with silence, my belovedyour love is the dying summerit has paled, discoloured and fallen.MurungiOh Straightforward Onewhy strike me with silence, my belovedyour eyes are the autumnwhich pales, discolours and falls.Oh Beloved Best Belovedyour silence is a rackupon which I liestretched out no moreunder you your thighswood-hard polished ebonyyour high cheeksyour eyesdivulging all secretsare stunning and alluringas the earth's most precious jewels.Murungiwhose father and father's brotherswore the oath of Batuniallegiance to Mau Mauwhose cousin Karega was torturedwhose cousin Karega was murderedwhose mother was violatedat the hand of Royalistsand you a small boy looked on.IIMurungi, Oh Belovedyou have returned to the land of your beginningand I have turned to mine.This my land is a strange, strange onethat prohibits me to love and know Afrikaas I have loved and known you.This land is a cruel cruel oneto pronounce our love a crime.Under your covers you asked of meCan it be so?I answeredYes it is so.On a night you asked of meWill not the Law of Nature triumph?Will men not be freeI answer Oh yes BelovedIt will be so.IllMurungi The Upright OneStraighforward OneYou are Afrika.I held you sensuous and languid in these my pale armsheard the rhythm of your blood-flowreceived your honey-sweetnessand you mine.Murungi'Man of Honourwhy punish me with silence?Know you not that I am bleedingtortured thoughts and limbs?You identify me with the oppressor?I am filthy Mzungu?The predator?Oh tear out my hearttoss it to hyenaslimbs to the lionthe sorcerer my soul.I am bewitched.S.G.K.OF irisoleaftwig hair,red straw inl\^*-l 3 L 1
Page 2 and 3: NEW BOOKSFROM RAVANHis second autob
Page 4 and 5: hoseby Bheki MasekoIllustrations by
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Page 12 and 13: Nikitinsky. He was sitting in a roo
Page 14 and 15: Damian Garsidec9lukTo surpass the g
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Page 18 and 19: or thirteenth of July we were all d
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Page 22 and 23: I shrugged an embarrassed smile but
Page 24 and 25: Andries W. OliphantT he Eye of the
Page 26 and 27: orkingomenMabel was a garment worke
Page 28 and 29: He was dedicated to his medicine,ye
Page 30 and 31: 'You have two minutes.' The silence
Page 32 and 33: Staf frider Popular HistoryMhala, t
Page 34 and 35: Dombo RatshilumelaIn secret lepers
Page 36 and 37: R regnancyf A poem should be palpab
Page 38 and 39: one night in Meadowlands, another i
Page 40 and 41: Hugh Lew intJ/ ACK*The manwho died
Page 42 and 43: esources of living should constitut
Page 44 and 45: SOUTH AFRICA: PASSPORT REFUSED TOSO
Page 46 and 47: y Walt OyisiphoKaMtetwalood'What! I
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Page 50 and 51: Andries W. Oliphant Lancelot Maseko
Page 52: IN OUR NEXT ISSUEThami Mnyele, Dona

Staffrider Vol.6 No.2 1985 - DISA

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