Manelo Bridge
A raging bull
Trapped in a cell
Counting the years
To the end of his fears
Robben Island
Dealt us a thieving hand
That stole our Tata
And left us in tatters
But between mountains
Grew the heart of a lion
Between the largest boulders
His pride became bolder
His peak beaconed
Our highest aspirations
Firmly rooted to his valley
A sage of strong family values
Between his strong arms
Bursting at the seems...
From the Atlantic your Manelo Bridge
Ensured we were never out of reach
It now spreads across the city skyline
Like a rainbow after the rain
It bridges our past and future
A lasting tribute – a prominent feature
In remembrance and celebration of Mandela Day - on 18 July, 2015
Please devote 67 minutes of your time to a charitable or worthy coarse
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We Miss you Manelo - Chicco Twala (1989)
Back in the dark days of apartheid in South Africa, censors were ready to ban books, songs and people. In the 1980s, one of the most popular South African musicians was Sello "Chicco" Twala who is still a stalwart in the South African music industry today. In 1989, he released a pop tune called "We miss you Manelo" that was accompanied by a seemingly innocuous video that tells the story of a teenage girl Manelo. Poor Manelo gets herself knocked-up and eventually runs away from her very angry parents. Later in the song, Manelo's parents reflect on their move and are distraught over her continual absence. Hence the song's refrain is "We miss you Manelo, where are you??
If you listen to the song carefully, you will understand the genius of Chicco and other artists of the time. Here are some of the lyrics:
"It's been a long time, Manelo where are you?
We are missing you, Manelo Where are you?
Come back, come back home!"
Copyright © Thabang Ngoma | Year Posted 2015
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