There's a herdboy I have known since I was an eight years old. I saw him again last week. He looks 25 years old even though he is approaching 50 years. Now herdboys are not the smartest of folks. The only language they understand unreservedly is that of livestock. Herdboys can talk to animals in a language that is understood by both of them. They not only whistl but can call animals by their name and get responses.If most herdboys could write good stories I reckon they would be the best storytellers. They would sweep all awards in the world, including Pulitzer. They have shepherded generations of livestock for ages. The one they are herding right now are probably the sixth generation from when they started as teenagers. What they have seen over many years is livestock they have seen is livestock they have named being killed for its meat. So, the always know that they are actually herding meat.
I still need to find one who is not stressed by life. Worse still I still need to find one who is a vegetarian. So, I pause and imagine that as a progressive country of all people we could have chosen to be our state president we just chose a fucking herdboy.
I can imagine herdboys of the future - when we have achieved our Millenium Development Goals relating to education. We want to cut illiteracy by 60 percent by 2012. Simply put we just want people to be able to read and write - probably sign their own names. I can forsee herdboys of the future with business cards titled 'HERDBOY' or 'HERDBOY-IN-CHIEF' or 'INTERN HERDBOY'. Add to that the fact that we will have herdboys who will be studying with UNISA for degrees since that vocation would not be something for illiterate rural boys of Nkandla and Qunu but a real career option for people aspiring to be livestock farmers.
I can now foresee a herdboy leaning against a giant sycamore tree with his Apple Mac connected to a 3G modem doing assignment for UNISA. I can forsee business opportunities, websites for herdboys titled http://www.herdboy.co.za/, and email addresses identifying some of them as gedleyihlekisa@herdboy.co.za. Okay, this post is meant to probe if this MDGs are in sync with our legacy of herding cattle with ambitions of one day becoming presidents. I bet you my last dime it's only in South Africa whereby a boy who grew up looking after cattle could rise to become a president. Nowhere in the world can such a 'miracle' happen.
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