The Transitional Period

The Period of Hope

I was born during the transitional period within South Africa, where most people in society were not sure what the future holds for them. I was born during the times where so much skeptics within South Africa, people doubting this new road to freedom. White people migrating from SA, black people rejoicing at this new world they will be living in. Children born in the early 90’s were given names such as Nkululeko “freedom” as parents believed a child shall follow their name, and the nation shall follow accordingly. Amongst the names were names of the great leaders, Nelson, Oliver, Walter, Govan, as parents were so emancipated by this democracy, the freedom of being able to give a child a name they want. Some of the names resembled the events which were at hand, such as Vote- Born on the 27 April 1994, Amandla born February 1990, Sinethemba born in 1991, Nompumelelo born in 1992. These are some of the names which brought hope to our parents with a slight of doubt within them as they did not know what the future hold for them. 

I was born during the transitional period, post-apartheid pre-democracy. A period where our parent were still scared to let us go outside on our own as they thought we would be taken away from them. During this period, there were so many societal barriers that were broken, the pre-guarded areas of society. Such as the educational system, parents felt the importance of sending their kids to the prestige schools; this was one of the ways in which the former disadvantaged families saw the light by giving their children what they did not have. Education became one of the links between the former advantaged societies with the advantaged societies. During these years more and more of our brothers, uncles, fathers came out of hiding regardless of the skepticism of the new democracy, which we were heading to.

I was born during the transitional period, where South Africans were still kept in their ways of doing things. During these years of hope, disbelief, skepticism, it gave birth to the new rainbow-nation, which fully transformed in 1994 where black and white, Coloureds and Indians were in one room singing the songs of iNkululeko, chanting the names of their heroes, casting their votes as equals, this brought hope for the future generation. During this transitional period where individuals learnt the art of tolerance and acceptance, this gave birth to unity, unity of the mind, unity of power and unity of individuality. The era of the new generation, the birth of the hope, resistance and adoration of each other’s uniqueness. The period where man had to learn to look past the skin colour and look within to see the true self of the next.

I was born during the transitional period where man believed in a better tomorrow, and watering the plants of the future.

T-Angelz Creations  
By; T. Sibiya