Accountability

There is an e-mail which is frequently resurrected which announces the death of Common sense.

I have discovered that accountability has also succumbed in today's world. I bid a fond farewell to accountability as I stand at the edge of the pit into which it has sunk.

When I was growing up if I went outside and it was raining I got wet. I got into trouble for it I had no-one to blame – the fault was mine – I was accountable.

I had trouble with Afrikaans and later on Latin. I did not blame my teachers. I found languages other than English, incomprehensible. I did not blame my school, the teachers, and the government. It was me. I was brilliant at Maths and loved manipulating figures and I adored playing with words. It did not worry me when my headmistress took me aside to advise me on my choice of subjects for matric. Her words were sweet and clear. "Vera whatever you choose, leave languages and Home Economics alone!" I thanked her and followed her advice. I did not protest that it was not my fault. I did not blame my teachers and I certainly didn't blame the school or my parents. It was me, all me and I accepted that there were some things I could not do. I could dance, play the violin and act and that was fine.

At the end of my matric year I gained a Senior Certificate instead of a Matric Exemption (a university entrance pass) because of Afrikaans. All my other symbols were way up but I could not get an acceptable mark in Afrikaans. It was my problem and I set about solving it. I entered a bi-lingual Teachers Training college, applied to do a rewrite at the end of the year, made friends with some Afrikaans students and followed their conversation. I did not talk much as they laughed at me and I was a sensitive person. By the end of the year my Afrikaans had improved and I passed it and was awarded my Matric Exemption. I had made the effort. My success was mine. I had made myself accountable to myself. I was responsible for my education. My parents were there for me but it was my effort. I applied for a loan and got it. I had to pay it back at the end of my training. But again that was fine. I wanted the training, I would pay for it.

I put a roof over my head because I worked for it. I did not Toyi-toyi to get a free home, free water, free electricity. If I couldn't afford something I shrugged my shoulders.

I could not afford to send my kids to get a tertiary education – they accepted it and did not demand a free education from the government.

I know that there are some people who just can't get it right. I feel for them but neither I nor our government should be held responsible for their situation in life. My son made a success because of it and my daughter is grinding away at a degree now that her girls are well on their way to becoming ladies. She is getting fabulous marks – probably 20 to 30 percent more than she would have if an education had been handed to her in her teens.

This probably sounds very hard to some of you but I look around at the people who have made it and most have made it on their own. Draw on what's inside you – make it bigger than you. Make it realise your ambitions. Have ambitions. If you make it on your own the sense of achievement is so rewarding. Go to my brothers and sisters and become accountable.