Edleen Primary School

Mbalenhle

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Mbalenhle

2008 and I am the new kid at school, I am in a foreign environment, everything is different, the kids are different, the culture at school is different, we have white kids here and the kids can bring their cellphones to school. That’s unbelievable! At my previous school, you couldn’t bring your cellphone to school, that was forbidden but when you got to the 7th grade, you had your own toilets that nobody else could use! Reserved only for the seniors of the schools, exclusively for grade 7’s, nobody else used them. The toilets were nicer, they were cleaner and they smelt good. Afterschool when everybody went home, I would use the toilets reserved only for the grade 7’s. It was a dream to be a senior and to be able to use those toilets. I never did, I left when I was in the 6th grade. Maybe I should have stayed one more year and concluded my primary education there, if not for the education then at least for the toilets. I was popular, I was the best poet in the school, I was in the school choir, I played sports and I was destined to be a “Counselor”, a “Counselor” was a “Prefect”. I so wanted to be a counselor and my chances were so good, it was basically guaranteed that I’d be one had I been a senior, but I left. I chased the feeling of wanting to be the new kid in a different environment, it excited me, it was my decision, I wanted a change. The new school was formal, we had a demerit system, that was new to me, I mean the idea of transgressions? It basically stated what learners could and could not do, like a free pass, the whole system perpetuated behavior it seeked to avoid because now technically I can get away with murder and have a few points docked. We never had that in my previous school and you never would have gotten away with murder! Not surprisingly, the kids in my new school were quite liberated, there was an entitlement about them, they were smug, they knew they had rights and they were arrogant. For me it was a big shift in culture but it was cool, small stuff, I could handle it.

For the first few days, I was under the radar, I moved in stealth and acquainted myself with the new environment. On breaks I sat alone and listened to music on my cellphone, something that suited me because I am introverted, I was happy but I got friends fairly quickly and by the third day I was chilling with some kid on breaks. His name was Tefu, strange kid, tall and lanky, looked way bigger for his age, was a year or two bigger than me but I liked him. Months elapsed and I made new friends, Tefu and I were not that close anymore. One of my new friends Mondli also a relatively new kid was a hip-hop head and an aspiring cool kid. Mondli loved the ladies. Our class had the most beautiful girls in the school, no lie, I counted at least 3 girls that I liked. I still remember their names, Leala, Mbalenhle and Amelia. My first preference was Leala but the other two were cute. Luckily I sat next to Leala because her surname starts with a “P” and mine with an “S”, so we sat towards the end. If we sat in pairs, I sat with Leala. She was brilliant, smart, beautiful and creative. She had a personality that was made of gold, Leala was cool, her energy was calm. We connected, we used to talk all the time, I knew her, she became my friend. I even knew who she had a crush on, it was this white kid named “Chad” and you could see the dreamy eyes on Leala’s face whenever she was around Chad. Her body language was different, she was flirty, she wanted Chad to see her. Chad changed schools in the 3rd week but I knew Leala’s Kyrptonite. One day I blurted out that she liked Chad and she transformed, something in her changed, it was as if she were possessed by demons, she made a scene in front of the whole class and told me off, she dismissed me like a naughty child that needed discipline, everyone’s attention was cast on me and I became the butt of the joke so everyone laughed. Right there I knew that Chad was a sensitive issue, never mess with a young girls feelings but her reaction confirmed my suspicions, I touched a nerve, I was right and she knew it. Later because me and her were so tight she confirmed that I was right.

Leala was my closest friend, we didn’t chill together on breaks or anything like that but in class we talked a lot and our conversations were fire! We liked each other’s company, we laughed a lot, we were comfortable with one another, she was my friend. Still, outside the classroom I needed to fit in or risk being ostracized by my peers. I invested my time with Mondli. He had the biggest crush on Mbalenhle and it was warranted, Mbali was beautiful! She was the most beautiful girl in school hands down! He told me about her and made advances on her. All day, every day, he used to talk about Mbali and he transferred the fever on to me. I started noticing her more and more till finally, I fell in love with her. She haunted my conscious reality, all I thought about was her. So I decided to do something, through some clever maneuvering, I managed to get her numbers, fine I got them from Mondli but I was in stealth mode, I stole them, he didn’t know I had them. After getting the numbers, I sent her an SMS professing my love for her. It was such a cowardly SMS, my feelings were all over the place, it’s so embarrassing. It had a lot of anonymity, I didn’t want her to know who it was from, it was just about getting it out of myself. Like “Eish Mbali you are the most beautiful girl in the world and I can’t stop thinking about you. I can’t believe I am saying this but I love you”, you know some simp stuff, I can’t quote it word for word because I don’t remember it but it was something along those lines. The next day, everybody in the class knew about the SMS, the horror, luckily I didn’t sign my name. She knew it was not from Mondli because she had his number and they were chatting on mxit. She asked me straight up if it was from me, I denied it. Like “Me? Never! I don’t even have your number”. It was a sneaky little SMS, I used a different number and I later disposed of the sim card. It was better that way. I mean why did the whole class know about the SMS? Although I wanted her to know that I loved her, taking ownership of the SMS was suicide, I avoided it but she knew it was from me, you could see it in her eyes, she was certain, there was no one else, but she didn’t probe further, she let things be.

After the SMS, things changed for her, despite my awkward and nervous energy, she grew fonder of me, it was in the way she looked at me, her gaze was intense and focused, she didn’t shy away from letting me know that she was staring, she had pet names for me, when my friends were teasing me in class she defended me, she blew me kisses, I freaked out! I have never had a girlfriend before, I don’t know what to do! YES SURE, I am in love with her but I don’t know what to do! I was just an artsy, awkward kid so I didn’t do anything. I followed my purpose, wrote poetry and dominated the district instead. On the last day of school, she wrote her numbers on my shirt, she stopped being subtle, she wanted me to call her, I never did. I wish I did something with Mbalenhle but I was a coward that’s why I am writing this instead.

Mondli Tshabalala

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Mondli Tshabalala

My first day in a new school Grade 7 Edleen Primary, I met this other kid who was also new. His name Mondli, we seemed to get along quite good. We were paired in the same class and we formed a friendship. Mondli was a great guy, genuine guy, he was into hip-hop and he could Krump! That was so HUGE back then! Although new, his Krumping made him popular in the school. Plus he was from Tembisa so he was relatively known. No one fucked with Mondli because he won’t hesitate to fuck you up! Trust me, he wasn’t no bitch. He was a new kid but only on paper, everybody knew who he was. My ties were all new. I was in uncharted territory, one could even say a foreigner. Me and Mondli became good friends. I liked him, he was always so good to me and he was talented. He was my link to how the kids in a new territory operated. I learned early on that I shouldn’t be timid or these new kids would take advantage of me. People needed to know that I wasn’t no pussy and that I could hold my own. So early in the first term, I fucked up some kid named Kleinboy who tested my frame. It wasn’t my intention to beat up the kid but he initiated everything and worse there were eyes looking. If I back down, I am doomed forever! I had to get my hands dirty. I fucked him up, perfect. You see he didn’t know I had ties in Gomora and I could fight, he thought I was some cheeseboy – big mistake Kleinboy. Poor kid, after I fucked him up he was sent to the principal’s office for initiating the fight. My stock grew after that fight and no one fucked with me again. I was worthy of chilling with Mondli.

Mondli being a cool kid and all contemplated of purchasing a new bag in the second-term. He wanted a Kerimore. Truthfully speaking, I don’t even know the bag hence my spelling is so off. He told me the bag cost R1200, I was appalled. However he was deadly serious. On the day he was supposed to purchase the bag, he couldn’t find it so he settled and bought a “Red Mountain” bag. I didn’t know what it was but it was a cool bag. I didn’t care much about bags but that “Red Mountain” bag was awesome – period! He was one of the few people in school at the time who had a “Red Mountain” and his peers were envious. Still, he expressed his disappointment to me for not getting the Kerimore bag, I still didn’t know what a Kerimore was. Then one day, we saw a kid from Sir Pierre High School with a Kerimore bag and he pointed it to me. I was confused. It looked like his “Red Mountain” bag exactly! I am not even exegerating – they looked the same! The only difference was the branding. That interaction seemed to only compound Mondli’s disappointment. So after two weeks of purchasing that “Red Mountain” bag, he decided he wanted another bag. He told me that he saw this cool “Nike” bag that cost R900 and that he would buy it. I thought he was kidding but the next week he bought it. That’s not all, he gave me his “Red Mountain” bag! It was basically new! He had only used that “Red Mountain” bag for 2-3 weeks! I couldn’t believe it, I was grateful and I thanked him. Before the “Red Mountain” bag, I had this huge bag that had wheels – yes, unfortunately I was that kid. But now I had a “Red Mountain” bag. In just one move, Mondli elevated my status to a cool kid. I will always love Mondli for that! That guy’s love for me was genuine. I used that “Red Mountain” bag until the 9th grade in high school. True, I used it sparingly in High school but it lasted that long – for 3 years! Mondli and I attended the same High School, I still had my “Red Mountain” bag while his Nike bag was a dinosaur. In fact he couldn’t even remember it anymore.

Mondli’s last contribution in my life was Senzile. In the 8th grade, he saw her and lost his mind! His the guy I am talking about on the “Senzile” post. Now do you understand Senzile’s significance in my life? Senzile is linked to Mondli Tshabalala and hence she will forever be perfect. Mondli Tshabalala was the best! Thank you God, Universe for that wonderful interaction. I am eternally grateful.

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Poetry & Amelia

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Poetry and Amelia.

I remember my first poetry competition back in Primary school; Lyndhurst Primary school, Grade 3B, Mrs. Bosman. It was a Sesotho poem about three little birds. We went to this other school and there were other kids from other schools. Man, I was nervous but I had been practicing with Mrs. Bosman and she told us to do what we did at practice, don’t be scared, stand up straight, open your legs, be grounded and affirmed, count to 5, take a deep breath and relax, then perform and then after you can sit, when you’re done you’ll get your certificate. Mrs. Bosman trusted me, she had deep confidence in me. I loved her and her encouragements. I went on the stage and did the best that I could. 3 more learners from my school went and then we were handed our certificates. There were learners who got Diplomas at the time but it wasn’t a lot, it’s difficult to get a Diploma when you are 7 or 8. A Diploma certificate was prestigious. It had a red scroll, big Gold foil and the certificate itself was A2. Gold and Silver certificates were A3 & Bronze certificates were a miserable A4 size. Getting a Diploma certificate was like winning a trophy, in fact it was a trophy – the highest achievement one can attain. A Diploma was way better than a Gold certificate. It was better than a “A”. It was a score of 90% or more. On that day, one learner got a Diploma. He was so good, I won’t lie. Little cute kid with glasses, he was 7 years old, he recited a Afrikaans poem with deadly precision. When he was done the crowd were on their feet cheering and clapping. A lot of the really good poet’s got a Gold certificate, which is a 80% or more but not 90%. I got a 72% score, a silver, it was just like a Gold but the color of the foil was different. And it was the same length as the gold certificate. The Diploma was the biggest certificate of them all when it comes to dimensions and size. The other learners I came with all got Bronze certificates and they were smaller than mine in size. I was the best from my school, Mrs. Bosman was so proud of me. The judges also gave good advice, I heeded one particular comment from the judge I know was meant for me, he even memorized my poem, he said I was too fast, slow down. He also made a remark that motivated me, he said that if I can just work on my speed, I will win a Diploma. I took it to heart and a year later I won my Diploma. I got a 93% score – one of the best in the district and among the very best at school. There was no doubt, I was a future great. A year later and I was in the school choir, one of the youngest chosen, the school choir consisted mostly of Grade 6’s and 7’s. I was one of the few Grade 5 students chosen. With the school choir, we won everything and achieved everything. Winning Diplomas was the norm. Fame was high and I was on TV, a child actor, a superstar, sometimes I missed school to make Ads, I had my own money, bought anything and everything I wanted.

I had achieved everything at Lyndhurst, I needed to branch out. We were already living in Kempton Park. My mother asked if I wanted to finish Primary at Lyndhurst or try something new here in Kempton Park. I thought about it and told her something new, she smiled and started with the administration process, Edleen Primary would be my destination, it was exciting times.

It was poetry season at my new school and this time I wanted to perform the poetry I wrote. I worked hard to make that happen and it was approved. My performance was so good that I got a Double Gold score. A Double Gold was this district’s Diploma; I was now in a new district, Erkuruleni. I was now dominating Kempton Park. One day the school had this speech thing where speakers took center stage, it was round about time the Xenophobic attacks occurred in 2008 at Alexandra township. The school was standing against it and creating awareness. I wrote a speech and I was going to be one of the speakers. It was 2 speakers per class. It was sort of a contest because there were rounds and speakers were eliminated. I represented my class with some girl named Amelia. Me and Amelia beat everyone and then we were pitted against each other in the final round and she won. It was basically a win-win situation for our class. When we met at the final showdown, I had no illusions of winning. She had a superior speech. It was more poetic and emotive. It was the best speech I had ever heard and the delivery was excellent. Amelia had stage presence, her voice commanded attention and she a wonderful stage persona, it was energetic and full of attitude. She was animated but also regal, juxtaposition – you just had to be there. Oh yes, I knew she’d win and when she did, I wasn’t surprised or disappointed. Her speech was so powerful, it talked about uniting Africa. The content was amazing, it was mature and enlightened. It was impactful. Her energy and aura was magnificent. It was her moment, one curated by the stars. She deserved it. She was wonderful. I was happy for her and at least our class won; besides, I beat everyone else and she wasn’t my competition – second place was not bad considering we were in the same team. Amelia’s speech was so great that the whole class united behind it and dramatized it at the year-end school concert. Our class had the best performance that year, it wasn’t even a debate. We were authentic and different. Other classes did the usual which was Dance or staging a play; the problem with that approach is that not everyone gets to participate. With our class everyone participated, we had a threatre production; it was Mr. Van Zyl’s vision. There was music and drums, costumes and Amelias speech. We dramatized her speech beautifully, some students served as Trees, the wind and the leafs. My friends were the happiest trees ever, I was the wind and I made noises and moved around. The energy was so great, so positive, everyone felt important and did their absolute best with the role they had. Amelia was our Goddess and she performed her speech beautifully – this time she had background music and drums serving as aids, she wore a costume, the performance was grand. The whole production was perfect. A big congratulations to Mr. Van Zyl, it was such a great idea, it was inspired and creative – the end result was phenomenal, no one had ever seen something like that before. There was no doubt, our class was the best, we beat every class, again – our performance was the best in the school.

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