Why I don't write on Thought Leader anymore

This is more a question for me than you. You probably don’t care why I don’t write on Thought Leader anymore. But if you do, or you’re bored, here is why.

I am looking at an open word doc. Blank. Over the last few months I have done this many times. Always with the intention of writing a piece for Thought Leader. Most times I close the document. Almost tired. Weary of South African news. Weary of the hamster-wheel that we run on. Blame Malema. Blame the whites. Shame on Zuma. Shame on Zille. It is apartheid. And around we go.

Whatever the subject, it always comes back to that. We like to whinge at each other. (Irony warning! That’s what I’m doing right now). But we whinge without effect. We whinge with no “go-forward” mechanism.

I used to try con myself that I was busy — work, a new baby, the wrong time zone. But there is always time. The reality is I am just bored of the mental grind of being South African. Bored of discussing issues that I have no sway over, that none of us seem to have any sway over.

I am gatvol of trying to sound like a conscientious South African, a positive South African, a South African who gives a shit. So I have decided to become a conscientious objector to the moral, social and political issues of our country.

This doesn’t mean I won’t ever live in SA again (I am still trying to convince my Aussie wife to move). I will never give up my claim to South African-ness. I will always defend my country like a bulldog when people question it. I will always tell people to visit it. And I will always want SA to do well in everything. Sport, music, film, tiddlywinks, whatever.

But like the ostrich I am going to stick my head in the sand. From now on, I will only write of other things. What those things are I have no idea, but when I see them I will tell you. (probably worms, since my head is in the sand).