'It is difficult to love the poor'

PROF TAKATSO Mofokeng stood up in one of the academic seminars and boldly stated, "It is difficult to love the poor."

- PROF BB SENOKOANE

I agree that this it is a very sensitive and dangerous statement to make because it might be manipulated, misinterpreted, and abused by different people for their purposes, including a nonsensical justification and end; though Mofokeng's statement meant something that was never intended to offend, ridicule, undermine, and disrespect the poor.

Mofokeng instead was highlighting an important fact that to love the poor is not something easy but a difficult commitment, as it comes with certain expectations and sacrifices.

In the process of loving the poor there is an expectation to share one's resources and at times neglecting oneself and his/her family and at times taking an oath of poverty for their sake, loving the poor includes a possibility of being jailed fighting for and with the poor, loving the poor might mean facing death on behalf of the poor or with the poor, etc.

Mofokeng provided an example that he opted to stay in a Township of Atteridgeville against a trend of his peers who would opt to buy property in the suburbs, but he had to later deal with the reality of house breakings, vulnerability to car hijacking, etc.

But his choice to stay with his people also affected him, as electricity is not stable, water cuts are regular, service delivery seems to be a factor, etc. In short, Mofokeng was arguing that to love the poor, this is a price that he and others of his class had to pay.

This choice is not an easy onebut difficult. I have recently written an article about the death of Dr Gomolemo Mokae, who decided to reside in Garankuwa and was later killed by his people.