My Father’s Name Poem by Khethiwe Ramathuthu

I am my father’s daughter.

I carry his name with pride and honour.

His name is not that of kings, or that belonging to a chieftaincy, but it is one that commands respect that he has earned.

Yes I am my father’s daughter and I carry his name with honour and pride.

This is the name that he made for himself, he was 13 years old when he ran away from home in Mpumalanga and made his way to Pretoria.
He slept in construction pipes and he worked in white peoples gardens to earn a living.
What he is now, what he became is a testimony of God’s hand and a willingness of a soul to be obedient and work hard.
My father’s name is Msibi Ndlondlo, Qotshwayo, Ndlondlokhotshe manonelekhatshi njengendlati.
He is Diliza umthangala wazigwanyana u flubhu isibham sashaya bili sanqapha.
And this he knows, he knows it in his sleep, he knows it without doubt. When he approaches the throne of God to call out His name and present his case concerning him and his affairs, he says “I am the one you have saved the one you have kept for your glory only”.
“I am the one who is a product of a split marriage, who was raised by his aunt, who was nobody’s favourite, and you gave me favour and have seen me through today to be a leader in my community, to be a father to the fatherless, to be in the council of man to tell them the things of old, the things that were taught by our ancestor on how to walk in reverence of you as our God, as head of our lives, so we can be heads of our families “
My father’s name is known to all who have had the pleasure of meeting him as wise, as stubborn, strict, and a hard worker.
To his elder he remains humble, he still sits closely to listen to their stories of old to learn so he can teach, so he can understand and explain imvelaphi yethu.
How privileged I have been to be born to this man’s name, to be raised and lead through his wisdom, to have been loved and truly loved by this man.
My bum has suffered in his hands, I have been carried on his shoulders, and his shoulders are big.
I am my father’s daughter and I carry his name with pride and honour.

This is the name that he has never brought shame in his conduct to his family; this is the name that his wife calls him by with respect and endearment.
My father’s name is Msibi Ndlondlo, Qotshwayo, Ndlondlokhotshe manonelekhatshi njengendlati and I am my father’s daughter.
The Lord has blessed him with two daughters of his own to cherish and raise in His way so that they can the princesses of mother earth.
Today they hold their heads high to world and say I will bring up your children for I am my father’s daughter and he has raised me to be a queen.
One he called Sibongile and the other he called Khethiwe, upon receiving his daughters as his inheritance on earth from God he said we thank you Lord (Sibongile) and he acknowledged that yes he has been chosen (Khethiwe) in the will of God to be Diliza umthangala wazigwanyana u flubhu isibham sashaya bili sanqapha
To destroy people’s expectations of his life and build on what God has called him to be.
Yes I am my father’s daughter and I carry his name with pride and honour.