​We are Africans-Black or White by James Y Qeqe 'The New Voice of Africa).

Representative of the foreign cultures.

Our distinguished and domestic guests.

The sons who are the descendants of the great King Moshoeshoe-the Basotho people.

The sons who were led by Sekhukhune Barota or BaPedi people.

The representatives of the Zulu land, the sons of the Mighty Zulu throne of Sigidi Shaka kaSenzangakhona,

Batswana people.

The Igbo's of the Nigerian's community, the Ghanaians of the Asante, the Tanzanians, the Coloureds, led by Adam Kok III,

Swati representatives led by MswatiMavuso II,

Malawians,

The Ndebeles led by Mzilikazi.

The Ugandans,

The Vendas of our green pastures.

CapeTownians .

Ndingabalibelanga abantakwethu from the house of Phalo, kaRharhabe, right through the house of Gcaleka and Ngub'engcuka, the Xhosas and abaThembu of the Eastern Cape. AFRICANS AT LARGE,

Dear Friends.

On an occasion like this, we should, perhaps, start from the beginning.

So let me begin.

What kind of Africa are we building?

A wise man once said and I quote, "No man is an Island, he was conquering and yet became a wise African man who once charged 'Umntu ngumntu ngabantu'- moto ke moto ka bato- a person in and through other people".When I saw you in the traditional attire I heard myself saying, 'indeed when "Greek meet Greek the struggle becomes titanic".

To be an African for me it means everything, it means I have a home, and that I do exist. It also means that I belong, that I have life, and that I am proudly African. I am a black person. Yes! I am black, because 'I am an African' and black is beautiful.

As former President of the Republic of South Africa Mr Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki once said in his speech in 1996- "I am an African…I am born of the peoples of the continent of Africa,… it feels good to be an African".In the few past weeks, our country has been mourning through actions of its citizens. Honestly speaking, in the very few past weeks, I have been doubting my proudness of being an African, to be more precisely of being a South African. It is evident however, that we are still far from understanding the concept of Ubuntu. That our great African leaders proposed.

You would have heard them say, let us build the South Africa that we want. But, I propose that we first ask ourselves one question, WHAT KIND OF SOUTH AFRICA DO WE WANT? It may happen that, the South Africa that I want is not the South Africa that you want. And we would come to conflict, that would lead to another, and to another.

Let us then imitate our forefathers, our heroes and heroines, such as Hinsta, Moshoeshoe, Mpande, Mzilikazi, Mswati Robert Mofat the missionary who brought peace in our land. And those who existed in our time, people like Steve Bantu Biko, Martin Luther King Jr. Malcom –X, Stocky Carmichael. The iiNdlovukazi of our times Mariam Makheba, Rosa Parks, AlbertinaSisulu, legends such as Nelson Rholihlahla 'Dalibhunga' Mandela, Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki, Frederick Douglass Washington and many more.

I am the great-grandchild of the warrior men and women that Phalo, Rharhabe and Sekhukhune led. The greatest that Mswati Mavuso II took to battle. The peacemakers that Moshoeshoe and Mzilikazi taught never to fight the unnecessary battles.

As the post-World II campaign for African independence heated up, young leaders such as Nigeria's Nnamdi Azikiwe (who would eventually become the president of Nigeria), carried their arguments to Great Britain, and ordered that, all Africans be united till all Africans gain independence. 'Take a look at the map of Africa. You will notice that its contour presents a shape which reminds one of a ham bone'. As Azikiwe suggested. To some people, this ham bone has been designed by destiny for the craving knife of European imperialism, to others, it is a question mark which asks whether Europe will act up to its ethical professions of peace and harmony. Yet the paradox of Africa is that its wealth and resources are among the root causes of wars. And yet we still fight each other, mock one another and even kill your own blood.

Not all men are bad, but we must warn our brothers, to act against Gender Based Violence. Enough is enough! Kwanele Madoda.

The truth is, it is possible to change the world.But to change the world, you have to change yourself first. You have to change your mentality, your habits, and your negative actions. It's not easy changing yourself, but it's necessary if you want to make a massive impact.

William McRaven says that, if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you would have accomplished the first task of the day that would give you the sense of pride, and will encourage you to make another task, and another and another. And by the end of the day, that one little task completed will turn to many tasks completed. Making your bed every morning will reinforce the fact that the little things matter. If you can't do the little things right, you'll never be able to make big things right. And if you happen to have a miserable day, you'll come home to a bed that if made, that you made. And a made bed will encourage you that tomorrow will be better.

Denzel Washington encourages us that every time we go to bed, we put our sleepers under our beds, so that every morning we would humble ourselves by going to our knees to reach them, and at the same time thank God for the new day. Like Father Nyathi's favourite proverb, smoking while you pray.

The xenophobic attacks have taught me however, that we still lack knowledge. The fear of a foreigner is actually a mediocre. And I think, we have failed the legends like Nkwame Krumah who introduced the African educated elites, which Marcus Gavi applauded, that Julius Nyerere honoured, and that Patrice Lumumba bowed at, and that Kenneth Kaunda smiled at. In the same way, I should we will never conquer racism unless we deal with xenophobia first.

Do not reluctant to express yourself as an African Black or White. And remember this, you're not recognized as who you are, but as what you are. 'The black skin is not badge of shame but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness'.

We are no longer separated, as Blacks or Whites, Indians or Coloureds, but now we are united as Black and White. Africa belongs to all who live in it, there is no African foreigner in an African country, all Africans belong to all African countries, and all African countries belong to all Africans. "WE ALL GOD'S CHILDREN" and "MY HOME IS YOUR HOME" and that means we are one. We all make mistakes because we are human beings, it is important then to learn from them. LET'S LET BYGONES BE BYGONES.

Belike children, because children do not carry baggage from one day to the next, they start afresh always. African be proud of who you are, White or Black, Coloured or Indian. We are ONE, one we are, because we are one.

I am not better than you, we are just the same. Let us treat each other as brothers and sisters, who share the same AFRICAN BLOOD.

May we with a contrite of heart heed the call to repentance and be the sign of God's mercy and compassion to the world. Amen!

My culture is your culture, and your culture is my culture. There's no culture which is superior to the other. I can teach you something, you can also teach me something, and together we can change the world. The change begins now, with me!

Ngiyabonga

Ke a leboha

Enkosi

Ndiyabulela

Danki

Asante sana

Ngiyathokoza

Ke a leboga

Ndi a livhuha

Ndza khensa

Dalu

Natotela sana and I

THANK YOU!