Echoes Of The Land Poem by Xolani Mario Majola

In the shadow of the mines, the air is thick,
With dust and despair, dreams unravel quick.
The promise of freedom, carved in our land,
Yet, for many, justice slips through their hands.

From the Constitution's heart, rights are proclaimed,
Equal for all, none should be maimed.
The right to life, to dignity, to breathe,
Yet, in the townships, pollution we seethe.

Section 24, a promise so grand,
To an environment not harmful, to a land,
That sustains and protects, every woman, every man,
Yet the reality is stark, a broken plan.

The rivers run black, poisoned and foul,
Communities forgotten, left to scowl.
The right to water, to air that's clean,
For some, a distant, unattainable dream.

The principles of NEMA, a guiding light,
Sustainable development, for futures bright.
But here in the shadows, where the poor reside,
Environmental discrimination cannot be denied.

Participation and equity, pillars of hope,
Yet marginalized voices still struggle to cope.
Environmental justice, a call to be heard,
But in practice, it's often just words.

Precaution and prevention, ideals to uphold,
But profits and power leave many in the cold.
The balance of interests, the rights of the weak,
In policy papers, they look so sleek.

In South Africa's soil, the roots run deep,
Of a struggle for fairness, promises to keep.
To heal our land, to cleanse our skies,
To honor the rights, to lift the cries.

For the children of eKasi, for the elders too,
Environmental rights must be true.
To breathe freely, to drink clean,
To live in a land that's healthy and green.

Let the echoes of the land, rise and resound,
In the hearts of the people, justice be found.
For in unity and action, we break the chain,
Of environmental discrimination, of sorrow and pain.