THE WAR IS NOT OVER YET

Selby Vusimusi Moyo
activist

By Vusumzi Moyo
Activist

Today is dingaan’s day
I do not know who named it so
I would not know what it should
have been called otherwise
but it was after a war I know
and dingane was the strategist
to resist those aggressing our land

For a very long time this day
was called after that African hero
dingane who knew a war once started
is not left midway but fought to the end
if its objectives are to be met
he knew even if not won
generations that follow will remember
and continue for he would be
their inspiration to carry on
to finish the unfinished war

This we could not forget
it has always stayed in our hearts
the bravery that had been inscribed
by blood of the braves now forgotten
how could anyone decide at a swipe
of a pen we uninscribe a day
so memorable and accept
it is a turning point of events
when it is in fact erasure of history

They now call this a day of reconciliation

yet they remain in the slavery
that dingane wanted to abolish
when he repelled the usurper
off the land which has long gone
and not to be returned ever
without a fight like he taught
reconciliation is paraded
to dim that lesson
to forget there is stolen land
yet to be retrieved

They ask why do we care about fighting
when this land belongs to all who live in it

we ask if it belongs to all of us
why are we excluded from all it gives
for our survival today and tomorrow
we ask why do we feel like strangers
when we are in our land hopeless
and why are we homeless
roaming like vagabonds in a land
we belong in our fatherland
I cannot pretend I am reconciled
war is not over yet

We tell them to stop the charade
when they call the usurpers
to the gathering for chaotic conversation
we remind them many died
for this land for it is ours
they now hardly remember dingane
was martyred in the battlefield
fighting for this land and our freedom
how do you reconcile the spilled blood through negotiation over what is yours
no thieves share their booty
with the ones they stole from

We tell them be realistic
people who steal from you
do not have respect for you
they cannot dignify you
when you come for yours
with a begging bowl
they remind you deliberately
if you are able enough draw your spears
for that is what they understand
if you do not to them you are a coward
they know it is the blood of their forebears that spilled to get the land
they now claim as theirs

How I wish we all understood
reconciliation shall never
bring the land back
not even in a million years
will the conquerers break bread
with the conquered unless to sooth hostilities to reconcile to usurp more
to make the others to accept
their disguised slavery
where those who are comfortable
with slavery they will trade
their freedom by reconciliation

See them smiling
convinced they live in freedom
pretending nothing is wrong
in what they do
why would these want to spill blood
why won’t they accept the past
should be left in the past
dingane is long gone
why should we bother
whereas those who stole the land
build monuments in remembrance
of the battles they won
and would not hesitate to take up arms
in defence of what they are convinced
is theirs a heritage from those
who spilled blood for their sake

I wish we could have the sense
to remember dingane for what he did
I wish we could understand
our children will want to know
who dingane is
they will want to know
to draw inspiration
to make their life livable
we want to remember dingane
to rediscover ourselves and to rededicate ourselves to the unfinished war

and when we go to battle
we will know it is for their future
they must know reconciliation day
means erasure of the legend
of dingane from our memory
and that cannot be history
they must know war is not over yet
for through the fight for our land
we will rewrite our history in its trueness
for reconciliation remains a lie told
by those who continue to sell the land
but we must through this day remind
the children the war is not over yet

I am not reconciled
the war is not over yet
this is dingane’s day of battle
please let the children know
we cannot reconcile with anyone
on dingane’s day of battle
the war is not over yet
yes the war cannot be over yet
in trueness the war is not over yet