Month: April 2011

During a Good Friday prayer meeting I reflected on how lucky we are to be able to practice our religion free from intimidation. Our South African constitution guarantees it.

Who knows where this tradition originated from, but in almost all South African homes fish is prepared for Good Friday. The preferred way is of course pickled fish. This is eaten with a hot cross bun or two. The Cape Malay community have particular affinity for this dish and once eaten you will understand why. This is one culinary highlight that affirms my love for South Africa.

This is holiday season. With the Easter weekend, Freedom Day and Workers Day so close to each other its a feast of holidays. In some years there is a bonus for Jews and Muslims as their religious days sometimes overlap. I love it

China’s invitation to South Africa to join the BRIC organisation is another confirmation of the relevance that South Africa has in the region. Brazil, Russia, India and China are passing a vote of confidence in South Africa and it’s future as a business destination.

South Africa is a internationally recognised venue for conferences, seminars and trade shows. Not to mentioned world class in terms of sporting facilities and concerts. U2, Fifa and numerous others will attest to this fact. What’s not to love?

How awesome. We can greet, celebrate and share in eleven different ways.

I am attending a discussion hosted by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation attended by a Christian Palestinian delegation talking about the Kairos Palestine Document, a declaration of intent seeking to address the Palestinian issue from a religious, social and moral perspective.

I am appalled by the suffering, acts of violence and humiliation suffered by ordinary people trying to come to terms with the occupation. Their fight and struggle for self determination has South African parallels and I see in it my own struggle. It pains me to see that not much progress has been made since the Oslo Accord. A delegate at this discussion made a comment that made me very sad, she said this “I see no end in sight for our struggle”

We are a nation committed to dialogue. We had a peaceful transition to democracy, negotiated one of the most progressive consitutions and then developed the world’s best model for reconciliation. All these milestones were reached through open dialogue and engagement.