Johannesburg, 16 Oct 2009
Actor and hunger protester Sello Maake kaNcube has entered his 11th day of fasting as part of the Hunger Protest.
Yesterday he stated in a series of tweets on Twitter:
"I'm all jacked up to fight for the levelling of the cultural playing fields in my country; as I'm losing my weight, it feels I'm shedding off the many many times of procrastination to take on the battle to fight for what i strongly believe in. And at long last I'm feeling very strong in my stance, in my conviction, that the corruption that is happening in the country is very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY.”
So far Michael Lee and Zamambo Tshabalala have each gone 30 days without food, one after the next, and Sello followed, stating he would also go until 30. This week, Maake kaNcube was quoted in the Times as saying he will go beyond 30 days if need be.
Lee admits, "To be honest that statement worries me. But keep in mind, no matter what Sello says, it's written in our founding statement right up front - 'This protest is not designed to injure its participants. It is designed to demand an end to a situation of injustice and inhumanity, in a tradition similar to that going back in many cultures for more than 2000 years."
"When I went past 21 days," Lee continued, "the TVIEC and SASFED felt it necessary to issue a statement disagreeing with my decision. Behind the scenes, we agreed I had to stop at 30 and hand over. I'm sure Sello will hand over when the time comes."
Lee noted for the record that the Hunger Protest is NOT a TVIEC initiative as the Times article stated. It is rather a private but aligned campaign in support of the TVIEC's aims.
"I'm feeling fired-up,” Sello added. “I feel like I'm finally awake, more every day. The clarity is what is amazing. I can either be angry about the past, or deal with what's going on now to make the future. My choice.”
kaNcube has announced that he will be taking the protest international when he travels to the Phillipines for a theatre festival on October 21 – projected to be his 16th day without food. He will be there for a week, returning on his 23rd day of fasting.
FOLLOW MAAKE KA NCUBE ON TWITTER @ hungerprotest
FOR FURTHER INFO CONTACT
hungerprotest@gmail.com
www.hungerprotest.co.za
