Tintswalo’s real story better than apartheid but not good enough

The birth of “Tintswalo” by President Cyril Ramaphosa is stirring debate across South Africa as people shared their anecdotes and highlighted their challenges through her experiences of “democracy”.

During his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday, Ramaphosa narrated the story of the first 30 years of democracy.

He said the story could be best told through the life of a child called Tintswalo born at the dawn of freedom in 1994.

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“Tintswalo, democracy’s child, grew up in a society that was worlds apart from the South Africa of her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

“She grew up in a society governed by a constitution rooted in equality, the rule of law, and affirmation of the inherent dignity of every citizen,” he said.

“Tintswalo’s formative years were spent in a house provided by the state, one of millions of houses built to shelter the poor. Tintswalo grew up in a household provided with basic water and electricity,” Ramaphosa added.

But documentary filmmaker Neo Kgola said Tintswalo’s story sounded “very manipulative” to South Africans because it was relatable.

“It is relatable to me personally because I don’t think we had a lot of options growing up. It set us up for that kind of set-up, especially if you grew up in the townships or rural areas.

“That becomes your reality. Because I grew up without parents for most of my childhood, I grew up with the social grant from the government through to high school until college, where I was fully funded by a scholarship.”

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Ramaphosa’s Tintswalo also “attended one of our TVET colleges and obtained a qualification”.

But for unemployed graduate Mbalenhle Tibana this was not her reality. She said unlike Tintswalo, she was left with a huge amount to pay back to her institution after obtaining a BSc.

“When I apply for employment I get rejected because I don’t have my qualification. This is what causes high unemployment and people who are paid below the minimum wage,” Tibana said.

“We are at the stagnation stage. There are many graduates who can’t find entry-level jobs. Instead, we are made to believe that we need to wait for grants that only buy toiletries.”

Ramaphosa also said that when Tintswalo entered the world of work, she was able to progress and thrive with the support of the state’s employment equity and broad-based black economic empowerment policies.

“With the income she earned, she was able to save, start a family, move into a better house, and live a better life,” he said.

Shungube Phesheya related to Tintswalo. Phesheya grew up in a rural village in Mpumalanga. “I relate to Tintswalo because it’s a scenario where a young person came from a very disadvantaged background and rose against all odds to be a successful person,” Phesheya said.

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“I’m a qualified teacher and environmental practitioner by profession with a bachelor’s education degree in natural sciences obtained at the University of Pretoria in 2013. My degree was fully funded by the Funza Lushaka bursary scheme.

“I also have an MSc in sustainable management of pollution obtained in France through scholarships from the French embassy in SA,” he added.

Ayanda Allie from Build One SA said of Tintswalo. “She is living in an RDP house that is falling apart because it was built with inferior material so politicians can get kickbacks. She goes to a hospital with no doctors. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme has not paid her registration fee.”

Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen emphasised that no promises made by Ramaphosa in his past five Sona speeches have been kept.

“Ramaphosa’s story of Tintswalo has glaring omissions of the ANC-created struggles that many in her generation now face,” he said.