On page 24 of today’s The Times, Art South Africa and Gun Free South Africa have paid for a full page to publish their open letter to President Zuma. They ask for him to “stop singing Umshini Wami (‘Bring Me My Machinegun’) and sing Umshini Wakho (‘Bring Us Your Machineguns’) instead”.

Here is the letter:

Dear Mr President

DEAR PRESIDENT ZUMA,

PLEASE CONSIDER THIS REQUEST FROM YOUR PEOPLE:

OUR EXCITEMENT AS A COUNTRY IS SHARED AS WE WAIT TO WELCOME THE WORLD TO SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP. WE’RE REBUILDING ROADS, CREATING NEW TRANSPORT SYSTEMS, ERECTING HOTELS AND REORGANIZING OUR CITIES TO GIVE OUR GUESTS THE VERY BEST OUR LAND HAS TO OFFER. WITH YOU, WE WANT THIS TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WORLD CUP EVER HOSTED.

But the high rate of violent crime continues to cast a shadow over these happy preparations.

Aggravated by the shocking number of guns on the streets of South Africa, violence is a daily threat to each of us and to the people we love.

So, to match all our other efforts in readying our beautiful nation, we plead for equal energy to be poured into preventing crime-related tragedies. By initiating positive action, we can start purging the streets of guns before the first plane lands.

And what better way than for our Head of State to lead by example?

Mr President, one of the things you’re famous for is your use of the old struggle song Umshini Wami. We’d like nothing more than to hear you sing that famous refrain again… but this time, for a different cause and with slightly different lyrics. We’d like to ask you to please stop singing Umshini Wami (‘Bring Me My Machinegun’) and sing Umshini Wakho (‘Bring Us Your Machineguns’) instead.

That small change would transform a call-to-arms into an anthem of community safety, responsibility and peacemaking.

The message of peace and hope this would spread not only across our own country, but to the world, would be immeasurable. By singing Umshini Wakho (‘Bring Us Your Machine Guns’ ) you can guide us into this new era and set the example by urging citizens to hand in their guns to the South African Police Service.

By approaching crime and violence in a determined and positive manner, and by ridding our society of guns, we can make a significant advance in creating a safer South Africa.

Sincerely,

The People of South Africa

Emily Veitch

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