i have just finished reading Melusi Tshabalala’s ‘Melusi’s Everyday Zulu’ which was one of the books my wife gave me for Christmas.

It is funny, it is irreverent in places, it is jaw-drop-he-didn’t-just-say-that in others, it is inspiring and challenging in terms of understanding South Africa and South Africans and mostly it is educational and just a really fun read. Get yourself a copy.

From the back cover:

Six days a week, Melusi Tshabalala, creative professional and entrepreneur posts a new isiZulu word on his Melusi’s Everyday Zulu Facebook page and tells a story to help bring the word to life. His off-beat sense of humour, razor-sharp social observations and frank political commentary not only teach his followers isiZulu words and expressions, but also offer insight into the world Melusi inhabits as a 21st-century Zulu man.

Melusi’s Everyday Zulu holds up a mirror that shows South African society in all its flaws and its sheer humanity. He pokes fun at our differences and makes us laugh at ourselves and each other. His fans love him for his honesty and commitment to pointing out subtle and overt forms of prejudice and racism.

That second paragraph pretty much nails it. There is humour mixed with political commentary with a healthy dose of sarcasm and saying-it-like-it-is or like he sees it at any rate. Such a great gift and i have really enjoyed slowly working my way through it. And am sad that it is finished, but have no doubt that there will be a follow-up book somewhere along the line. While you’re waiting for your copy of the book to arrive, jump on to his Facebook page and give it a Like so you can follow the daily comments…

As i’ve been reading the book i’ve been sharing some of the pieces that really jumped out at me on Facebook and to give you a glimpse and a taste and encourage you to GO AND BUY THIS BOOK ALREADY, here are some of those:

‘ISIBUKO

Isibuko is a mirror.

The word is related to buka, which means to look at. Isibuko is the thing you use to look at yourself.

As a country, we need a collective Isibuko. We need to take a long, hard look at ourselves. Then, we need to be honest with ourselves about who we are and what we want, because it all starts with the man or woman in the Isibuko.’

= = = = =

‘ISIBOSHWA

Isiboshwa is a prisoner. 
No, this is not about political prisoners or criminals. It’s about all of us, and how we’ve become Isiboshwa (plural) in prisons of our own making. I’m talking about WhatsApp groups.

Yes, the family groups, school groups, community groups – they are all prisons and you are Isiboshwa. It starts out innocently enough, and usually with the best intentions. But before you know it, you want out, but cannot leave for fear of judgement and retribution.

I know some say you shouldn’t give a damn, and should simply leave. Ya, but those people are psychopaths and would shove their own grandmothers down the staircase for their inheritance – if they haven’t already done so.

But if you’re a normal person, the idea of pulling out of a group that’s meant to serve the greats good is daunting. When you pull out of a community group, how does it not imply that you want other people to ensure that things work well in the community without putting in any work yourself?

If you pull out of a family group, the rest of the group immediately suspects that you think you’re better than them and that they bore you. If you pull out of a school or class group, you are a bad, uncaring parent. I am not a member of any religious WhatsApp groups, but I suspect leaving one means you’re going to some kind of hell.’

= = = = =

‘UMBHEDO

Embhedo is ‘nonsense’.

Someone once asked me why black people don’t condemn white farm murders. The question threw me off because black people do condemn white farm murders. When we cry about the high crime rates, white farmers, who’ve also been victims, are included. We just don’t single those murders out: they are no more tragic than others. Maybe they are more tragic to some people because that is how they see the world – and because some lives hold more value to them than others?

(BTW, we don’t have a nationwide Whatsapp group for black people where we discuss ways to ruin white people’s lives. People need to get that umbhedo out of their heads.)’

= = = = =

The majority of the posts in this book are fun or silly, but every so often there is a commentary that stops you in your tracks and causes you to think deeply. This particular extract from right near the very end of the book was probably the piece that i found the most profound and eye-opening:

VALELA NGAPHANDLE

Valela Ngaphandle is to shut out (valela = shut, ngaphandle = outside or outdoors).

If someone doesn’t want to give you access to something, they valela you ngaphandle. Which is exactly what is happening to Idris Elba. Idris deserves better roles. Why wasn’t he the Vibranium in Black Panther? Hollywood must stop with the valela ngaphandle.

As human beings, we like to valela ngaphandle, though, don’t we? It’s our favourite pastime. Racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia and many other -isms and phobias are all because of our obsession with shutting one another out.

Imagine the potential lost to the massive valela ngaphandle sessions that were slavery and apartheid. Millions and millions of black people denied the opportunity to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to the world. Just imagine how much further humanity would have come had all those people been allowed to thrive. 

We can never allow humanity to valela anyone ngaphandle like that ever again. Everyone needs to be free to be themselves and live their best lives. We’ll all be better for it.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for the daily Facebook additions and grab a copy of Melusi’s Everyday Zulu for yourself so that you can be thoroughly entertained and perhaps a little bit challenged…