South African actress Clementine Mosimane has been gracing our screens since the 1990s.
She continues to excel in her craft and recently starred in the South African film, 'The Sabbatical', which is currently showing in cinemas.
The veteran actress, who is also a motivational speaker passionate about social justice, took time off from her busy schedule to talk to Time Out Johannesburg about her heritage in honour of Africa Day, which is commemorated on 25 May.
Tell us about your roots...
I grew up in the township, Orlando East, Soweto. My grandmother is from Cape Town, she was coloured and married a Pedi man. My parents were so rooted in respect. Our foundation was Christianity, so it rooted us in respect. We were taught that the woman next door is your mother, and the man next door is your father, so even if they reprimand you, he/she is still your parent. We were taught to respect the elderly. Today, our kids fight and hit teachers; someone else’s parent. It is embarrassing.
What does it mean to be an African?
Growing up, I knew that being an African child meant being respectful. An African child respects elderly people and lifts a helping hand to them. On a bus, if a child is sitting and an elderly person comes in and there is no seat, the child always stands up to give the elderly a seat.
I wish we could go back to that norm. The children and youth of today need to understand that for us to remain blessed, we need to respect the elders, irrespective of where they are and where they have been.
The youth of today don’t understand who they are. They want to be American – look at their dress code. The boy child today walks with pants hanging, showing their underwear, girls drink more than their fathers used to drink, and the youth walks with bottles of alcohol across the street. As Africans, are we so spiritually dead?
If we carry on like this, we are not going to have any African culture. We will be non-existent. I know an African person to be Godly. We must go back to that and be humble.
What is your message to the youth on Africa Day?
Be proud of who you are, know your roots, understand who you are and embrace and celebrate yourself.
When a tourist visits Johannesburg, what do you recommend they do?
Visit Soweto. Soweto was put on the map on 16 June 1976. Go and see where Melville Edelstein’s house is. The history of Soweto is 16 June 1976. Then go see Mandela House.
What is your favourite restaurant?
I hardly eat out because I cook at home. However, I love Sakhumzi Restaurant in Orlando West. They sell African meals – samp, mogodu, morogo. The vibe is good. There is also the Emapapeni Restaurant in Orlando. Their food is also good and it is closer to me. So, if I am feeling too lazy to cook and can’t go to Sakhumzi, I visit Emapapeni.
Which fun places do you like to take your grandchildren to?
I like taking them to Gold Reef City because everything is there – museums, games, restaurants. It is also a safe space.
What do you love most about residing in Johannesburg?
To be in Johannesburg opens your eyes. It helps you to be alert and to think on your feet. The pace is so fast, but it doesn’t mean you must be in everything and be everywhere. Take your time to get to know Johannesburg.
I loved growing up in Orlando East because we had diverse cultures. One of my neighbours was Pedi, the other Xhosa, and another neighbour was Zulu, so I grew up speaking all the African languages. So, that’s what I love about Soweto, that’s what I love about Johannesburg. The rainbow nation is here, and we love and understand each other.
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