'Sabbatical': a journey from ambition to humility

THERE'S this wall painting in Johannesburg CBD that one just cannot miss nor ignore.

- UNATHI KONDILE

It spells out CALL YOUR MOTHER in white letters on a black background. It's right there at the back of that high-rise Nota Bene student accommodation building in Braamfontein.

Closer to home, right here in Cape Town, the facade of Iziko South African National Gallery has been emblazoned with the very same CALL YOUR MOTHER mural by artist, Ed Young. Cheeky. Simple and effective. A message that pricks izazela zamagoduka [the conscience of refugees].

I found myself thinking about this particular Ed Young artwork whilst watching the preview of a new South African film called SABBATICAL. Set to hit cinema screens this Friday, May 9. SABBATICAL is written and directed by UCT alumna, Karabo Lediga, and tells the story of a corporate climber groomed to be the next CEO of an elite firm. Her meteoric rise crashes when she is implicated in a miner's pension fund scandal. Relatability is the one word I can use to sum up the overall experience of this film, particularly for those who grew up in townships or relatively impoverished backgrounds and were able to secure a job in some or the other big city. It is a lingering reminder that one is one career muck up away from going back 'home.