As Kanya Tandile Cekeshe sat in prison for two years for a crime that he did not commit my heart just ached as I could not bare thought of him behind bars. Having walked the prison grounds myself, seen what prison for what it really is from the inside, and had the opportunity to speak to a few of these men, society justs labels as prisoners even if it is just trivial crime that has been committed or protesting against the increase of fees in higher education so that another black child is afforded the opportunity to go to university. Men we never thought to have committ such heinous crimes, crimes that could not be compared to the one that is accused of, sit in a jail cramped like sardines in a tiny aluminium tin without a whiff of fresh air instead the stench of stinking breath of prisoners pollutes the air, days without sunshine, the sun rays do not kiss your face instead all he had was one tiny window which he could peak through like a child filled with mischief. The two years Kanya spent in prison I struggled to come to terms or even accept that he was behind bars, to an extent I resented the government for putting him behind bars, and I was still trying to come to terms with loss of my best friend whom I lost 11 years ago as it hit me hard, during those 11 years I blamed myself for the death of my best friend. I remember the first time I myself walked the prison grounds as young secondary school scholar, the memory, a distant memory is still as fresh as it was the day I walked the prison grounds. The day that Kanya got released I still had a bit of resentment towards the government, but was grateful as I am still trying to make sense of why the government did why they did as the government had no concrete evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he actually committed the crimes.
Knowing that life has not been for him, picking up the pieces and making up for time lost. I cannot wait to see what the future looks like for the both of us, it is as if we are meant to be part of each other 's lives for better or worse through thick and thin, only time will tell whether our stars align with one another till we become part of one constellation.
© Imani Dlamini 🇿🇦