As we remember that District Six was declared a white group area 55 years ago today, I thought I should share this poem that I wrote in 2002, after being frustrated at the slow pace of the restitution process. I wrote a lot of poems back then, but this one is rare because it is written in Afrikaans/Afrikaaps. I am still frustrated at the slow pace of restitution.
Die Ses
Die oemies en die bieyas,
die motjies en die pankies,
en ’n paar anders,
staan in Distrik Ses
en luister na die President:
“Ons gaan huis toe,” se hy
en almal cheer.
Agtien maande later
staan hulle weer in Distrik Ses
op ’n ander stuk grond.
Die oemies, die bieyas,
die motjies en die pankies,
en ’n paar anders.
En die leier van die mense,
van die beneficiaries, se:
“Ons gaan huis toe.”
en niemand glo hom nie.
(Written on Sunday, 24 February 2020)
