05/01/2026
I was touched, and I nearly cried.
When touring the City of Johannesburg, we came to a location known as Hillbrow, and there we saw this monument and it was stated through our headsets,
"On your left is the monument built to honour miners from all over Africa who came to work in the South African mines thus participating in building the City of Johannesburg"
At that point, I couldn't let the opportunity of capturing the monument pass me by. I stood up and got many pictures of the same monument. Why? Go ne ga ntlĂȘla nice and slow gore, my father worked in the South African mines, and therefore this means he's being remembered in South Africa.
It quickly dawned in my mind that when I walked at the Gaborone Main Mall recently, I came across a place where names of people are written on stones on the flours of Main Mall. I looked for my father's name there, and it wasn't there. I looked for a Tiego surname, and it wasn't there. Here in Johannesburg, when I looked at that monument, my heart told me that even though my father's name is not written there but it is implied in the whole statement.
My head started thinking about your fathers and uncles who worked in Impala mine, Kinross, Tip lĂȘbĂȘnĂȘ (Deep Level), and I said to myself, "South Africa is a grateful great nation!" I quickly remembered how some of our parents were called in recent years to get their claims for any illness suspected to have been caused by their labour as mine workers.
Something told me that since my father is still alive, most of these miners are still alive somewhere trying to make ends meet. An idea came to my mind, and this was an idea to make them smile...
"How about we each get this picture, print it and frame it, and present it to them as an appreciation for raising us with Rands from South African mines? How about we frame it and present it as a token of appreciation from the South African government for their participation in the building of the great South African Nation!
I am a proud son of a miner, and going to the University for our family was the greatest breakthrough ever. Working as a teacher, teaching kids in English was a miracle. Becoming a Pastor nearly made them die asking themselves what they had done to deserve these great blessings from God. When they heard that I was President of a Political party, they were finished! We are really working hard to become something in life amidst fierce opposition from a society that cares less about anyone, but that doesn't discourage us for we know with God we shall overcome someday!
We shall emerge from nothing to something. We are still work in progress. Our morning is coming!
