In Solidarity with the children of South Africa 

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Asinakuthula: we cannot keep quiet while the world is in shambles-- Nontsizi Mgqwetho

We, Asinakuthula Collective, a group of teachers and researchers invested in telling untold
stories of African womxn stand alongside the children of South Africa:
 

To high school learners in our schools,
To the Grade 1’s of 1994, the 33 and 34 year old’s of today,
To the Grade 1’s before you and the Grade 1’s after you,
To the Matric class of 2020:
 

We stand alongside you, as you make sense of who you are in a global pandemic that has
disrupted your education, your social life and the joys of simply being children.

We stand with you:
As you mourn the careless and piercing racism of exclusion and anti-blackness;
anti-womxn-ness on the playground; in the textbooks; on the walls, protocols, code of conduct,
and ceremonies; from teachers, governing bodies, the government and from your peers.
As you mourn what you have lost and what you’ve hidden and discarded.
As you mourn being let down and hurt by adults you trusted and were entrusted to in an
environment meant to be safe.

Stories which remain deliberately silenced or preferably unheard: from children who have no access to water, sanitation, where corporal punishment still continues, where windows are broken, where textbooks are not delivered, where teachers break the social contract of being in loco parentis and abuse their power by lauding it over students.

We, the adults and the teachers, are also in shambles. We were entrusted with your minds but
also your hearts. We were duty-bound to protect you, to create an environment where you could be yourself, grow into life-long learners who are curious and excited about the world outside. Instead we showed you the world in all its ugliness. For your childhood that has been tainted, for your innocence that has been squandered; sorry is insufficient.

We condemn the silence that is expected of those who are hurt and often cannot speak for
themselves. We are ashamed of our own complicity in how the system has hurt you. May we
never again be indifferent or quiet. May we never again choose convenience or ease over
humanity.

We own our mistakes and flaws and pledge to do better.

We are inspired by your courage to speak truth to power. May we learn from you, because there is still hope: in spite of it all. May you continue to remind us of what you deserve. Of the
potential for schooling and learning. May we prepare ourselves to fight alongside you.

We hope there will be accountability of those responsible for your education. We hope that your voices and stories will not go unheard. We will make sure of it.

Asinakuthula : we cannot keep quiet while the world is in shambles.

Signed by:
Athambile Masola
Dani Cooper
Charissa Shay
Marj Brown
Alison Andrew

Khwezi Femele

Olivia King

Talia Barbeli

Sven Glittenberg

Bongiwe Bongwe

Jaque Pretorious

Dionne Mankazana

Karabo Rankapole

Nicole Pupuma

Tshepo Madlingozi

Neo Nomvete

Devaarne Muller

Tess Peacock

Lovelyn Nwadeyi

Tinhiko Nkuna

Palesa Matebesi

To add your name to this statement please email athambile@gmail.com

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AC