Ayanda Borotho: This 'staying in our lane' uprooted our Ubuntu

05 June 2019 - 07:00
By CHRIZELDA KEKANA
Actress and motivational speaker Ayanda Borotho has been sharing some wisdom on her social pages.
Image: Instagram/Ayanda Borotho Actress and motivational speaker Ayanda Borotho has been sharing some wisdom on her social pages.

Ayanda Borotho has shared that she misses the Mzansi of yesteryear when Ubuntu wasn't frowned upon by the very people who are supposed to embody it and she took to her Instagram to explain how she found herself embarrassed lately at how far the situation had gone in her life.

Ayanda penned a short story of how just recently, she was invited to her neighbours' child's birthday and she found herself embarrassed because despite having been their neighbour for four years, she didn't know these people.

"I was embarrassed beyond explanation. How do I explain that for over four  years you have been my neighbour but I have never been to your house? Asazani... I can't even ask you for help? Saze saphelelwa ubuntu!

Ayanda's nostalgia led her down memory lane to a time as a people, Ubuntu was part of our daily lives.

"I remember a time when we greeted strangers and they greeted back. I'm often taken aback by people who give me strange stares when I greet them standing in the queue at the shops. Walking into a lift I greet but people find it suspicious. I miss the days when our neighbours were family we knew and loved that would come to switch on the lights for us at night when we went to emakhaya," she reminisced.

The actress, who has revealed that she is busy putting her thoughts together in a book set to be released this year, pleaded with her followers to head back to the basics.

"This 'staying in your lane' that has uprooted our ubuntu bethuna. Can we just go back to being our African selves? We would see less of the ills we are faced with....nje" she said.

Read the rest of the post below.

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So I'm quite embarrassed to share this but one of our neighbours recently had a birthday celebration for their daughter whose the same age as ours. The husband whom we know and greet when we pass each other told my husband about the do and asked that we come with the kids. Off I went to the mall to get a gift for a child I didnt know. Going to the house I found the mom first and the first thing I did was apologize (ngangiguqe ngamadolo - figure of speech). I was embarrassed beyond explanation. How do I explain that for over 4 years you have been my neighbour but I have never been to your house? Asazani..I cant even ask you for help????Saze saphelelwa ubuntu! I remember a time when we greeted strangers and they greeted back. I'm often taken aback by people who give me strange stares when I greet them standing in the queue at the shops. Walking into a lift I greet but people find it suspicious. I miss the days when our neighbors were family we knew and loved that would come to switch on the lights for us at night when we went to emakhaya. We could ask for sugar or a cup of rice ka next door. I hate that I have to dash to the shops when I realise I'm out of sugar! We never lacked. We were the neighbour's children, we had babysitters 24/7/365. I miss children who stand up when adults walk into the room. I miss the days of serving Oros without shame bathong. Lapho mina ngiyazithandela! Ngithanda noku lala phansi bakwethu🙈Please manginivakashele ngicela nindlule phansi! This "staying in your lane" that has uprooted our ubuntu bethuna. Can we just go back to being our African selves? We would see less of the ills we are faced with....nje. Just my thoughts. #UnbecomingToBecome #UnlearningTheLies #TakingOffTheCoats #IamEnough #ConvosWithAyoungMe #LiveButDontLeaveYourselfBehind #Eve #SikulentoYeWovement 📷: @ayaaa.ngu

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