On the day of the commemoration of the youth of 1976. It makes you wonder if there was no youth in '66 or '86, but that does not really matter since we don't know what their struggle was. The youth of 76 were confronted with a language barrier that threatened their hope of getting educated. It was to be set to law that all subjects in all schools, including black schools are to be taught in Afrikaans. A language that was as foreign to them as French is to most of us regular everyday South Africans today. All text books including mathematics, physics and accounting would be in Afrikaans and as such Afrikaans would be the medium of instruction. Upon realising the steepness of this struggle, upon realising the systematic blockade to education that the apartheid government was implementing, the 76ers never went crying to their parents and elders for a solution. They never folded their arms in hopes that the same government that declared apartheid lawful over 20 years ago would come to their senses. We all know what they did. They rose up to the challenge face front. They confronted the system laying their lives on the line all in the name of freedom of education, education in a language they understood. It might not seem like a big deal to you, it shouldn't. It wasn't your struggle. The fact that it is not your struggle is a testament to their achievement. The 76ers fought a good fight.
Every generation must wake up to the struggle of their time and dedicate their lives in ensuring that the same struggle does not affect the next generation after them. The founders of Embalenhle Chess Club realised that the struggle of our time lies in the mental development of the black child in the black community. They have learned that Chess was kept away from black communities for fear of its mental sharpening qualities producing formidable revolutionaries. Chess is a mental sport that trains one to think strategically and tactically. It is a mental exercise that keeps the brain fit and sharp. It teaches one to look for solutions by first understanding the problem. Chess is essentially a problem solving game and as such it was kept away from those whose daily lives were confronted by problems.
The founders of this club are what I would like to call Chess Activists. Their mission ,after realising the challenges within the systems, was to ensure that the black child has access to this mental sharpening game of chess. There are great systematic challenges to getting chess into townships and rural areas. There are federations in place who are meant to be spearheading such developments, but that is not really their problem. They focus on the cities and suburbs were the money is. But just like the 76ers who did not wait for their parents and elders to rise up on their behalf, the Embalenhle Chess Club founders took it upon themselves to rise against the challenge of their time as they see it.
Embalenhle Chess Club hosts the 16 June tournament in commemoration of the youth of 1976. This, I wish to believe is not only done for the reason of convenience given that the date is a public holiday. Rather I wish to believe that this is done first to remind themselves of the reason they started this Chess Club, thus on this day their mission is rejuvinated and their flame to light up the mind of the black child re-ignited. Secondly it is to remind you youth of today that the youth of 76 had a mission which was to rise against the most pertinent struggle of their time, and since you've never been forced to learn in a language foreign to you, they succeeded.
You might be wondering what your mission could be because everything seems fine from where you stand. Well to you I say at some point you will need to come out for more oxygen from that vacuum you are living in. And when you do come out just look, listen and decide as Stimela would say. As you look you will realise that gender based violence makes being female a trauma. If you listen you will hear that tertiary education is losing value as graduates are turned streets sweepers while drop outs are living like kings. Then you'll decide whether to be a part of the problem or the solution.
There is nothing worse than a Chess player without a mission or direction in life. They are like a soldier without a battle to fight. You will find them starting up useless arguements about girls, cars or rap just to have something to argue about. Their minds are working over time and sadly they have no substance to work on. Chess has an innumerable number of benefits for the developing brain but the brain needs to be fed substance to digest after its daily training. The problem with young Chess players today is they read only Chess books and then expect that Chess will make them smart. Chess helps develop high level understanding, but how will you truly appreciate the implications of that if you have never picked up a philosophy book to read?!
Chess players, especially the young ones, please make it a point that every week you read something other than a Chess book for your brain to digest on. Your brains are sharp and quick but they lack substance. Feed them, hopefully then we will all learn never to take anything for granted. Through reading we will attain enlightenment. That enlightenment will teach us never to take anything for granted. We will learn that lives were sacrificed and endangered in order for us to have the right to name our kids in our own languages. We will learn that people died so we could have access to higher education, the same education that is now turning into a mockery. Sacrifices were made just so women could be recognised as equal to men and have all the same rights as men, the same rights that men are now violating in the name of love. The problems are all around us waiting for you Chess players, skilled problem solvers to take the initiative. It always starts with one person convincing another, then it snowball's. I picked up on the Chess for Community Development Movement and engaged a few friends. We now have Msogwaba Chess Club, the Home of Champions. Seriously, all the top players in the province, most of them champions are from Msogwaba Chess Club.
It is on you now to find the struggle of your time, solve it so that the future generation never even hears of it. And if they do, they should not believe it was ever as serious a problem. Because why else are we here if not to make life easier for those that will follow after us?
There is nothing worse than an ignorant youth that grows up to become ignorant parents who tell their kids to accept the status quo, "it has always been like this", they would say "who are you to think you can change it alone"
Well next time you tell them, 'I dealt with worse on the Chess board, this is nothing to me. I'm a chess player, remember? Solving problems is what I do best!' Then you go and work out the necessary combinations to tackle the problems of your days. Young Chess players are the future. The future needs thinkers like yourselves. Just make sure you don't waste your powerful brains thinking only of Chess problems. Let us not forget that chess is merely a tool for sharpening up your minds. Use those minds to bring change not only in your homes but also in your communities. You can be the difference. Here's to Chess! Here's to Young people. Mostly, here's to Young Chess Players!!! Tomorrow looks brighter in your hands.
Sadly we were too pressed for time and I ended up being unable to deliver the speech, this is why I decided to share it here in hopes that some young aspiring chess player out there will read it
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