ANC veteran’s view on AIDS

Duration: 4min 05 sec

Transcript

THANDEKA: Umama uSisulu uthi imfundiso kagawulayo emzini wakhe iqala kubazali abangabantwana bakhe ukuya esizukulwaneni nakwisizukulwana sesizukulwana umyalezo umnye nothi, umntu kufuneka acinge phambi kokuba enze nje kuba ugawulayo uyabulala. Nangona ke sele uninzi lunemizi yalo.

Translation: Mrs Sisulu says a pep talk about HIV is a regular menu in her home. It starts with her own children who now have their own families and includes her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It focuses on one message – that they should think thoroughly before they engage in any relationship that involves sex because AIDS kills.

MAMA SISULU: As a parent it’€™s my duty because every Sunday there’€™s a meeting at home they are always with me and you know explaining what they are doing and so on. But at the same time because I’€™m a nurse by profession the lecture from the boys up to their sister is that be very careful you are now married. There is no need for you to be hunting around for girls or boys stick to yourselves and your husbands for that I’€™m telling you I’€™ve made up my mind up to my grandchildren up to my grand children. I’€™ve got 26 grandchildren and five great. That is the lecture I’€™m giving even to my great grandchildren. Everybody when they get home I don’€™t stop saying be very careful don’€™t just do what you want think of the family itself. Respect the family itself. Utata wenu wade watshona sifana nabantwana abancinci, they know that very well (They know very well that we were like kids with their father when he was still alive). There wasn’€™t a time where they would ask me utata ugqibele nini apha ekhaya. They will always find us together like birds.

Translation: Njengomzali ngumsebenzi wam njengokuba sihalala sinendibano yosapho rhoqo ngeCawe apha ekhayeni. Abantwana baye bandichazele ngokuqhubekayo ebomini babo kodwa ke nanjengoko ndingummongikazi ndiye ndibahlohle ukususela ebafaneni ukuya ezintombini ukuba mabalumnke bazinonophele bangalibali ukuba batshatile. Akukho sizathu sokuba babe bejonga ngaphaya befuna amantombazana nabafana kufuneka bancamathele kubo nabayeni babo. Lonto ndiyibethelela nakubazukulwana bam abanga ma-26 nakwisizukulwana sesizukulwane esisi halan. Wonke umntu uyazu xa befika ekhayeni andiyeki ukushumayela ukuba bazinonophele bangezni nje nokuba yintoni kuba kufuneka bazingce yaye bacingele nosapho lwabo kuqala.   Bayazi ukuba umna notata wabo sohlulwa kukufa bengazange basifumane sohlukene. Besinjengabantwana abancini. Bebesoloko besifumana sikunye njengee nataka.

THANDEKA: Umam’€™uSisulu uthi ukuthetha ngogawulayo nothando kuyanceda ukuhlomla kwimiba efana nogawulayo neyinto uninzi lwabantu oluyibona njengenyala.

Translation: Mama Sisulu says talking about HIV/AIDS and matters of love helps in addressing HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately, she says some people see talking about sex as a taboo.

MAMASISULU: Fortunately I’€™m a nurse by profession iHIV is not a yesterday disease. We had syphilis as a nurse my children knew what I mean by syphilis. What does it do isyphilis, which is just now become worse when we have iHIV. They know mama that you are married you don’€™t you dare do anything outside your family don’€™t you ever have anybody to contact you on basis of being in love having a family at home. You won’€™t believe me, everybody in that house even these young girls they have a lecture. Thina sikhule apha kukho i-inspection yamantombazana. (We grew up having virginity inspections). Did you know that? Until you get married even the day before you go to your wedding ceremony. You are on the floor to show you are clean.  

Translation:Nge thamsanqa ndingumongikazi intsholongwane kagawulayo ifika zikhona ezinye izifo ezikhe zaxaka ezifana ne syphilis. Abantwana bam babe yazi lonto xa ndibaxelela ngayo nokuba yenza ntoni na. Kodwa ke ngoku ithe yaqatsela ngoku kukho intsholongwane kagawulayo. Bayazi mama ukuba batshatile yaye kufuneka bangalingi ukuba babe namakrexe ngaphandle kwemitshato yabo yaye kungabikho nento yokuba ngoku ndizakudibana nobani ngokothando ingenguye lowo nditshate naye benosapho. Awungekhe undikholelwe bonke emzini wam nabancinci namantombazana ayazi ukuba bayafundiswa . Thina sikhule kukho uhlolo lwamantombazana phambi kokuba bayo kutshata babejogwa ubuntombi babo . Uyayazi lo nto?

THANDEKA: Uthi ladlula ixesha apho umntwan wommelwane ikwangumntwana wakho neyinto ayibona njengonobangela wokuba kubenzima ukujongana nemiba yokukhulelwa kwabantwana nogawulayo neyimiba athi idlumzi ekuhlaleni.

Translation: Gone are the days where one would say my neighbour’€™s child is my child says Mama Sisulu and this makes things more difficult to address especially issues like pregnancy and HIV/AIDS that are affecting our communities.

MAMA SISULU: It’€™s going to be very difficult today mama to say any thing because you know during our time as parents we used to have meetings of all the types of the children from boys but today my dear, because children belong to their parents. You can’€™t say anything to anybody’€™s child now. Now that has come to an end. Ubuntu (humanity) it’€™s no more there. As great-grandmothers you would say anything sometimes even if it’€™s not your child you have a right as a grandmother and ubone nje ukuthi this one is mischievous and the next thing uzokubona ukuthi upregnant   uyayibona lonto. Thina ke bebesazi ukuba umntu uya suspect (a) you’€™ll not visit nokuba ngugogo. Amalungelo (children are by human rights) ayabakhusela there’€™s no lungelo elinokugqitha your parents because your parents will see this lungelo is dirty and is not suitable for you. It’€™s for us nathi to know our children and when they are mischievous because   what happens is this today no ndiyokulala kulo bani uthi in this house there’€™s nobody who is going to sleep anywhere you’€™re going to be here at home not unless you are at home with relatives. That’€™s where some of our children get this mischief you can’€™t say don’€™t visit relatives you know my dear child we have got that problem but if they are with you you’€™ll know what to say.  

Translation:Kunzima namhlanje ukuthetha ngabantwana kuba thina ngexesha lethu sasiba nemihlangano yabo bonke abantwana kuba abantwana babengababazali bonke. Ngoku awukwazi ukuthetha nokuba yintoni ebantwaneni kuba bangabantwana babazali babo kuphela. Ubuntu baphela. Njengoo makhulu ubunokuthetha nkuba yintoni xa uqaphela okuthile okungatshongo khona nokuba umntwana asingowakho ubune gunya njengo makhulu. Ubone nje ukuba umntwana unesigezwana emva kwalonto kulandela isisu.   Thina besisazi ukuba umntwana ukhulelwe   ebengandwendweli nditsho namakhulu lo wakhe. Amalungelo ayabakhusela kodwa ke akukho lungelo ligqitha umzali kuba iyayibona into emdaka engalungelanga ku mntwana wakhe. Kukho nalento umntwana afike sefuna uyokulala kulozibani bani kufuneka umxelele ukuba apha kulentdlu akukho mntu uzakuhamba elala ngaphandele kokuba uya ekhefini kwizizalwane. Sinalo ngxaki kodwa ke xa bekunye nawe mzali uyayazi ukuba uzakuthini.

 E-mail Thandeka Teyise

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