MC South Africa 05/06

LC Visit To:

I spent a minimum of four days at each LC – the duration of my vistis differed according to the LC’s needs, preparation of the LC I was to visit next. Ohh not forgetting our lovely bus system’s African time puctuality. I guess by now you’ve picked up that I travelled the country in a bus – 30hrs SITTING between my LC visits, from Jozi to the Cape, I know you wanna know more so here we go:

University of the Free State QwaQwa campus

I spent four years ´slaving’ for my bachelors degree there and besides it was coming home (I was born and bred in QwaQwa also known as Phuthaditjhaba on national maps), as we drove through the Northern Free State to the Eastern Free State I was still amazed by the beautiful landscape this province possesses – the savanna, the sand-stone mountains, the wide range of mealie farms and ever humble Basotho (South Sotho speaking people).
The University is situated on top of a hill which gives it a very nice view as you enter QwaQwa – giving you a brief history - QwaQwa was a homeland prior to 1994 (meaning it had its own ministers and government, no it wasn’t a country just independent yet not autonomous from the national government ).
The campus is very diverse, it is situated in a Sesotho speaking community yet you get largely Zulus from nearbouring towns of Kwazulu-Zulu Natal province, a bit of Xhosa and Tswana speaking students.
I had a 3 hrs meeting with the LC on a Saturday afternoon straight after a 4hrs drive, I interacted with a lot of individuals before the meeting and after the meeting, there was so much passion about making ‘the world our play ground’, I had discussions about lack of information versus not realizing the opportunities even when they’re right in front of you, it was very intrigueing how the debate carried on and that gave me an idea of running open space about the issues in one of our conferences – whether we as South African youth are globally aware or too much internally focused – because the global socio-economic and technological trends are moving so fast that by the time we wake up to reality we will find it extremely hard to be players in the coming of age.

I was happy to be home, the environment that showed me the world is a jungle – whether it is that of animals or that of man, it is the survival of the fittest and if you intend to be a great practitioner – make the world your play ground, the university that presented Prof. Evans (my first year English professor) who said; ´power equals corruption, absolute power corrupts absolutely´, and the LC that helped me shape my thoughts and perceptions about life and what it has to offer. I rekindled and challenged memeories of why I’m still here today.
Ke a leboha – thank you to the LC and specifically Elias (LCP)

Walter Sisulu Uiversity – Mthatha

I got to Mthatha on a rainy Sunday morning at 05h00am after an 8hrs bus ride from Harrismith to Umtata (via Pietermarizburg), I had been longing to come to Eastern Cape as it is one of the 3 provinces I haven’t been to as yet, also to understand the Xhosa culture better.
What impressed me was the fact that verything was so properly organised, I had 3 ER meetings of which one was with Distell (I received the corporate gift pack that contained a bottle of Amarula and a mixer cup, we bought ice cream and had a blast) in fact all the ER meeting’s objectives were met and had positive outcomes, our intergrated development program - @XP was a loved concept.
WSU has similar settings and an environment like QwaQwa or UFS QwaQwa campus and I was not that much out of place since it looked and felt like home. When you’re a pedestrian entering the campus – it’s a long way to get to the residences and the students have named the route from the gate to the center of the university – The long walk to freedom, which was hilarious but true since I travelled with my whole wardrobe… and boy was it a long way to the resting place!!
On Friday after our ER meetings we had a celebration where we had Amarula and ice cream plus other intoxicating substances, I had a very interesting discussion with one LC member despite our intoxicated state of mind about circumcision ritual which is still taboo for Xhosas and one thing I remember about our ironic yet intriguing conversation is the analogy he made when he said: ’love is like being circumcised, you cant stand, you can’t think, you’re utterly weak.’
On the last day I was there we went to Spur and ate from 14h00pm till 18h00pm (it’s a pity that my metabolism works overtime because I should have gained some weight after that day). During the LC visit I reflected a lot on why we say we’re agents of change, why we do great things as individuals in a united collaboration and always acknowledge our faults instead of our goodworks (which we should change by the way). I came to a realization that unique selling point about our orgaisation is that we think of an idea that can change the world and we put it into action, as we always say think globally yet act locally’.
Special appreciations go to :
Unati – for everything
Bulelwa – your presence throughout my whole stay
Mlondolosi – a place to stay
Mpho – your silent yet impactful being
The computer guy (I apologise for forgetting your name)
Temba –having chosen AIESEC for your greater development.

The landscape in Eastern Cape is awesome (I’m beginning to undersatnd why Oprah Winfrey likes coming to that side of the country so much), I left on Monday afternoon and after we had passed Butterworths we were asked to get out of the bus and get sprayed for sway fever (a disease that kills pigs), the spraying process was quite strange for me, but I guess is forms part of the learning experience.

Ke leboha ho menahane (Thank you from the bottom of my heart)
Ps: I will treasure the gifts I received

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University – Port Elizaberth

It was my second visit to the campus (I was there for AGM, December 2005), went to the residence and I was well looked after (thanks to Nyala). Time passed by too quickly in PE, I look back and wish I could have stayed longer as most work was done when I was leaving for another LC, but thanks to:
Craig – picking me up, letting me stay at your home,the chats and sending me off. . .
Mawetu – for the party that was supposedly mine (I don’t dispute that, just that I wasn’t aware that it was mine – I would have made my presence more felt if I had known) I did enjoy it!!
Mark – for hosting us for Sunday lunch
Nyala – being there throughout the whole of my stay, do’t worry I remember News Café.
Thisile – for the intellectual chats.

I also acknowledge Mr Neil Campher for hosting us for a braai at his incredible home near the sea where I got to see the whale for the first time at sea.


To all the LCs thank you for hosting me and making sure you were present for the trainig and meetings even though some of you were writing exams, I’m happy that we continued despite the infrastructur problems too.
I feel motivated, encouraged and determined to work with you. Believe me, your contribution during our interactions were valuable to me.

Khotso,Pula,Nala – Peace,Rain,Prosperity. . .