America’s first lady and ours

Hope for their sake, the show they put on the public eye is really how they are behind the walls of their family home. You should envy her.

However, Michelle has spoken of her husband’s snoring, his bad breath in the morning, how he fails to put the butter back in the fridge or replace the plastic grip on the bread packet to keep it fresh. That’s not glamourous. Do you envy still envy her?

Jabu...yu just don't get the point...do you?...Goodness!

Nikiwe, you are such a girl :-), I would have thought Wendy Luhabe though.

Indeed the Obama family is admirable in many ways, what women wouldn't want those loving gazes Barack bestowes upon his wife. One can see the intimacy between them easily. But rather then envy the green grass of one's neighbor one should tend to their own grass to make it the greenest of all.

Nice article Nikiwe, hope all the other women will find the same inspiration in Michelle and the other great women you mentioned.

'since becoming premier she has gone all out to look the part of the glamorous, high-powered and sophisticated executive'.

Nikiwe, doesn't matter how you look, what matters is doing the job you were DEPLOYED to do. As for Jabu's comment if I may call it,my advice is, just calm down.

I suppose that if our politicians can do nothing else, then we can expect them to dress well.

But politics should be about service delivery first and then looking the part. To do it the other way round seems daft to me.

- Deliver ARVs to the 900 000 AIDS people who do not currently get them then put on you Gucci shoes.
- Report accurately on crime and reduce it by 10% then wear those fancy braids
- Create jobs for the masses made unemployed by the ANC policies then go out and buy that designer suit.

How can we justify the bling of spending 1 billion rand on the blue light fashion accessories for every politician yet have insufficient money for health for the masses? Do we have no conscience? Do we have no pride? (Don’t answer these rhetorical questions, I’m scared what you may say!!!)

I enjoy your articles, they have a light hearted approach to serious issues. This one however is totally divorced from reality. It appears you and I don’t live in the same South Africa!

Is this the sort of Government South Africa deserves?

In one of your previous pieces, you spoke of the great Blythswood Mission, the institution that produced the first Xhosa dictionary and documented the Xhosa language. Many of the descendants of this mission were anti-Apartheid activists and the families are still deeply involved in uplifting poor communities. Blythswood WAS about standing against injustice.

Do you see none of the injustices caused by our ruling elite?

I spoke over the weekend to one of the “Blythswood” people who helped cut off funding for Apartheid by the IMF and World Bank and he said “it’s time for the next generation to stand up and be counted”. He then said with deep resignation, “a country gets the Government they deserve, maybe South Africa deserves no better…”.

Are you “man” enough to stand up against this tyranny the way previous generations from Blythswood did?

Do you have higher expectations from our government? Do you believe we deserve more?

If we don’t speak out, who will?

I am not South African, so I will not dabble into the politics of this piece too much. John, I was with you on your first comment - fair comment. But your second comment was bit too strong for what this article is looking at. You said it yourself, Nikiwe's articles are a light-hearted approach to serious issues. Now, if she decided to analyse all the failures of government, they would lose their appeal.

So many other folk write on that so can't she write about what she wants too? If we look at politics and other social monsters (and yes, most are monsters) with a continuously stern gaze, we become squint eyed and jaded.

Let's relax and look at the other side of things too, frivolous or petty as they may seem.

I am gald someone from a distance notices how Michelle Obama has become to show that that hers is not only because she is married to Barak, but that she has he rown qualities as a human being first, and also as a first lady. Equally you went on to mention even our local females who can be emulated and show others that they need not be the shadows of their powerful husbands. This ialso means that they can be leadrers in their own rights, not by association(marriage). Hope that band of wives of our current president will read your article and re-think about themselves.

Well said John!!!...

It sadenes to think I as a SA deserve the ANC...what the hack..I don't believe in greed! I don't believe in exploiting the poor!..I don't believe in short-changing the youth by giving them quality of education that does allow them to access tertiary education!...I don't believe in waiting almost 8 hours in a clinic waiting for help!...I don't believe anyone in public service should be spending R1.7m on a car while schools in the townships and rural areas don't have book and cannot afford them!...I don't believe I should get a job because I'm black, your relative, your mistress, another cadres no matter how useless I really am!...I don't believe in the abuse of women! I don't believe we are inequal before the law!....These are some of the things we fought the apartheid government and it seems our fight is not over!!!

Although i do love the global village image . I am slightly bored by the Obama fest . South Africa is country in it,s own right and should be allowed to develop at it's own pace without the constant comparisons to other countries , thier governments and now the marital bliss of thier presidents! I am shocked . South Africa boasts three first ladies already and a host of local role models so the question is : do we really need a Michele Obama?

Its intereting to see such simplicity coming out of first family. Natural at its best, without all the glitz and makeup. Simple outfits, that any ordinary worker can buy. The message The Obamas are sending is ordinary people, can do it too. One does not have to be from a wealthy wel connected family to be a power leader. Its all about hard work and grabbing the opportunity when it presents itself, and not looking at the negative all the time.

Its very unfortunate that most European first ladies can not do the same, instead of buying designer outfits and hairdressing costs, if those were ever told, would make some of the things which ANC are accused of to sound like child's play.

An example Michelle Obama outfits are less than US$200, Head to toe, whilst France's First Lady Carla Bruni's handbag and shoes are worth US$2000. One can not buy class, figure, style and sophitication, that is the point. Most Media dont know whatelse about the Obamas, if it was them spending so amounts, it will be all over the papers and news. Its not just that, its cover up after cover up of failure of others which should be coming out into the public domain. Its like the last time, when I was in the UK, when The former British Deputy Prime Minster John Leslie Prescott hired a taxis to go to the Parliment which was less than 3 km away from his home, because he didnt want his wife hairstyle to be blown by the wind cost the taxpayers £300. Deal with that please and lets not mix issues here, Berry Juice and John Bond. Thank you.

The article carries ambiguity: America’s first lady and ours.
I subscribe to women’s advancement in political, business circles and beyond; they need to be in the helm deservedly so on hard work and other great traits like men should.

But I’m very concerned with the conventional outlook into these ambitions from a female perspective.

We do not wish to see Michelle Obama’s in South Africa or anywhere else for that matter. We need to see Lindiwe Sisulu being Lindiwe Sisulu with the greatness she is, and many other incredible women I admire also being who they are.
Admiration is one thing, so is inspiration and aspirations. But duplication is something totally out and dull.
Maybe it’s a sense of belong some women need; some affiliation in looking a certain way established. I see it in fashion, in dates, in social life and many other things. I know women are unique and beautiful souls. And I’m learning so much from this sense of belonging they seem to have on almost everything (I know the same can be argued about men). But, each woman is a work of art obviously inspired by different things.

On the other aspect of the ambiguity of the caption, we certainly cannot expect South Africa’s first lady to be the American version of that. Some people are not driven by political or business aspirations. Some women are phenomenal in their work on social care be it homeless shelters and the like. Some women are great sport athletes. Yet, we seem to forget about their flair. We just need to maintain uniqueness.
Long live to the power of women in all spheres.

The article carries ambiguity: America’s first lady and ours.
I subscribe to women’s advancement in political, business circles and beyond; they need to be in the helm deservedly so on hard work and other great traits like men should.

But I’m very concerned with the conventional outlook into these ambitions from a female perspective.

We do not wish to see Michelle Obama’s in South Africa or anywhere else for that matter. We need to see Lindiwe Sisulu being Lindiwe Sisulu with the greatness she is, and many other incredible women I admire also being who they are.
Admiration is one thing, so is inspiration and aspirations. But duplication is something totally out and dull.
Maybe it’s a sense of belong some women need; some affiliation in looking a certain way established. I see it in fashion, in dates, in social life and many other things. I know women are unique and beautiful souls. And I’m learning so much from this sense of belonging they seem to have on almost everything (I know the same can be argued about men). But, each woman is a work of art obviously inspired by different things.

On the other aspect of the ambiguity of the caption, we certainly cannot expect South Africa’s first lady to be the American version of that. Some people are not driven by political or business aspirations. Some women are phenomenal in their work on social care be it homeless shelters and the like. Some women are great sport athletes. Yet, we seem to forget about their flair. We just need to maintain uniqueness.
Long live to the power of women in all spheres.

I've come across a pice that says a good writer is the one who sparks debate and response. coming from a woman this article belittles women in general to say one must look like Michelle and have a good clothing colour co-ordination. let us be inpired by good brains and inteligence rather than a lady with a good smile and a handsome husband. i need to calm down as well. nkosasana is doing a great job. has nothing to do with looks.

what of makhumalo, mantuli and the other one ( i forget) , what of thier "buff" arms? is makhumalo's patience and devotion not to be admired, because the dress sense is certiantly not? anyway BHO gets on my nerves but get ur point.

Michelle Obama can rest assured that her husband was never accused and stood trial for raping a family friend.
Her husband was never accused of complicity in a conspiracy in receiving massive arms deal bribes.
Her husband is only married to her, and his really difficult job.
Her husband does not condone absolute corruption.
Her husband does not hand out political favours to rabid corrupt supporters.
Her husband does not condemn corruption in public and condone it in secret.
Her husband did not kill many of his struggle comrades in order to advance his own putrid interests in a totally morally bankrupt organisation.
Her husband does not embrace polygamy and multiple sex partners publically.
Her husband has an appreciation for her intelligence and does not expect her to drink some foul home brew from an empty paint tin, and jiggy around in her underwear in public.
Her husband is not some mindless puppet installed in power by a group of corrupt individuals hell bent on raping an entire nation.
Her husband does not send bodyguards to beat up journalists while she is a on a starving taxpayer funded shopping spree in a foreign dictatorship.
So when Obama looks at Michelle with love in his eyes, in view of the whole world, Michelle truly has someone to love right back.
Maybe that is the fundamental difference between their first lady, and ours.....

Michelle Obama can rest assured that her husband was never accused and stood trial for raping a family friend.
Her husband was never accused of complicity in a conspiracy in receiving massive arms deal bribes.
Her husband is only married to her, and his really difficult job.
Her husband does not condone absolute corruption.
Her husband does not hand out political favours to rabid corrupt supporters.
Her husband does not condemn corruption in public and condone it in secret.
Her husband did not kill many of his struggle comrades in order to advance his own putrid interests in a totally morally bankrupt organisation.
Her husband does not embrace polygamy and multiple sex partners publically.
Her husband has an appreciation for her intelligence and does not expect her to drink some foul home brew from an empty paint tin, and jiggy around in her underwear in public.
Her husband is not some mindless puppet installed in power by a group of corrupt individuals hell bent on raping an entire nation.
Her husband does not send bodyguards to beat up journalists while she is a on a starving taxpayer funded shopping spree in a foreign dictatorship.
So when Obama looks at Michelle with love in his eyes, in view of the whole world, Michelle truly has someone to love right back.
Maybe that is the fundamental difference between their first lady, and ours.....

Berry Juice....hahaha. Great comment, I mean, DUH, Jabu, don't you get the point. That's the beauty of married Love, you still love him/her even when he snores and has bad breath in the mornings.