I am outraged at the prospect of South Africa undertaking to assist Zimbabwe in repaying her debt.

What debt, pray?! The tyrannical platform from which the G8 contemplates Africa is tiresome and dangerous. Our Renaissance is in its infancy and as such vulnerable and requiring nurturing. Perhaps when our Northern, rich Western brethren have taken responsibility for the planetary bother they have caused we will be more interested in their self appointed role as moral prefects insulting Zimbabweans and thereby, Africans, by treating us as if we are a nation of dissident schoolchildren.

This is not Xenophobia nor misguided romanticism. It is a profound impatience with the white elephants with which we Africans perrenially contend.

The white elephants of development Anglo-Euro style, from which the last to benefit are the indigeneous people of Africa. The white elephants of projects that have fizzled out because funding has expired. The white elephants of vast economic empires spawned in Africa by adventurous captains of commerce who cannot get away with their monkey business in their countries of origin. The white elephants that emerge from generations damaged by displacements and disruptions. The white elephants of interrupted education. The white elephants of Western richness and honkie mischief. The white elephants of a consciousness that deifies sefishness. The white elephants of greed.

The dignity of President Mbeki's offer to assist our Zimbabwean family with their housekeeping is laudatory. Africa is taking responsibility for her own. Undersigning for anarchy wrenched by yet another old African dictator who has allegedly lost the plot. One can hear the moral umpires raising a toast. "Not only have the Negroes learned how to wear ties and speak English, but they are picking up the odd ethic, what? Notch up another centimetre for progress, old chap."

Fellow Africans, we cannot afford this distraction of cowtailing to the mainstream. 80% of homo sapiens live two steps from the cave whilst 20% have more surplus than they know how to use. This is a stupid fraction. The prevalence of poverty is one of humanity's singlemost unintelligent practices. It is so last century and has resulted in undiluted tragedy in our neck of the woods for too long. Poverty takes no prisoners and nowhere is this so grimly demonstrated in beloved Amai Africa.

The timing of the London bombs drew attention to the G8 conference in Scotland and Mr Blair was eloquent in his distress. To those of us who live in Africa the fuss over so few casualties was bemusing. We have no memory of CNN and BBC getting so excited over our many bleedings and dyings. In Africa we do a great line in ongoing 9/11 s and 07/07 s. The living deaths of so many of our people are seemingly far less important than the weakening of the pound.

All atrocities suck. Our condolences to the bereaved and traumatised Londoners are profound and sincere.

However, it is sometimes necessary to join the dots so frequently ignored by western propaganda machines and the irritating mindset of the powermongers whom they serve. Our priorites in Africa pertain to recovery and progress. These are challenges enough without having to pay lipservice to debates about the globe's filthy lucre or being rapped over the knuckles cos we have partied with the petty cash. Obviously accountability is imperative, but it is to ourselves and each other to whom we first must be accountable, not our cousins and friends from elsewhere and their many confusions. When these communities are Africa literate we will be more receptive to their prescriptions. Until then, we will thank them to be respectful of our realities and mindful of their suspect agenda regarding our peoples and resources. If, in our Northern fathers' houses there are many mansions, in our Mother's lands there are many fields. We have strong waters to harness, good crops to plant, various extinctions to halt and new songs to sing. We are waking up to lives we can love, moving beyond mere survival. We need our light to shine far into our future for the lives of our grandchildren's grandchildren are at stake.

So George Bush, IMF and Company ... Muchaneta! For the African Renaissance we are prepared to live!

For Africa we live. Nkosi, Sikelele Africa. Ishe Komberera.

I read, with a sense of relief, that Madiba has expressed his anger with the United States of America. Not a moment too soon. However endearing the 330 million individuals who constitute the American people may be, the mindset that this super power has produced is beyond doubt, a serious threat to world peace. Why? Well take a load of the arsenal for starters. Then let us consider this not so small matter of economic imperialism. Such a cool gig: got the bucks, call the shots. Sick last century stuff. Last but not least let us not overlook the danger of arrogant ignorance. When only a mere fraction of a wealthy population (18%) bother to get passports and they vote by virtue of their choices and exert a major influence on global affairs, please forgive this little African woman when she asks a few questions.

I arrived in America a few days after 9/11. I arrived from a small African country and was regarded as a heroine for being so brave as to fly! Perhaps having lived through a so-called terrorist war which was in fact a liberation struggle had immunised me to an extent against hysteria. I didn't feel brave - I was just longing to visit precious friends and there had been tremendous spontaneous compassion for the victims and their families in my homelands. We, who are no strangers to suffering and violence. People who had not even seen the, by now, nigh almost indelible images of the World Trade Towers morphing into Ground Zero. People who when they heard I was about to go to the USA said, "Ah sisi ... please tell America sorry for this terrible thing." People who do not have television sets but had heard, via bush telegraph, of what had transpired. People with heart per chance. African people. All I know is that back home we were horrified and saddened by the disaster. It was not wasted energy for empathy is always of value.

My compassion remains intact. However, the Hollywoodesque flourishes to the aftermath tarnished the bereavement. I heard literally hundreds of Americans say "We were hit on our own soil!" as if this were unique and apocalyptic. Eventually, I found myself saying to one, "Perhaps you could discuss this with the 100 or so countries your army is currently occupying. It could be an interesting bonding experience." My educated friend was clueless about this which I found disturbing. Bombs and refreshments to Afghanistan was a policy that went unchallenged as was the overnight erosion of internal civil and human rights. Right there in the heartland of the free and the brave. Stunning what you can get away with when you declare a unilateral global war against terror.

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