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What does KZN mean to me?

As a Zulu-speaking person who identifies as Zulu who had both parents identifying as Zulu, KwaZulu-Natal is obviously my homeland. I say this as a basic fact, with no sentiments attached to it. I was born & raised in southern KZN & I don't think there's any shame in that. The same way I don't think someone who speaks Xhosa, identifies as Xhosa & was born & raised in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape should feel any shame in being who they are. A Tswana-speaking person from Gaborone in Botswana who identifies as Tswana should feel no shame in being who they are either. In fact, they should feel redeemed & grounded in being who they are living in their native land. I love watching football icons in European football who were born & raised in the town or city of the football team they play for & spend the rest of their careers with that team. 

As much as southern KZN is home to me, I don't feel better than someone who lives in Johannesburg for example as someone who lives in KZN. I'd feel more privilidged living in a European, North American or developed far east Asian city than any place in South Africa. Just being here is not a privilige to me. It's only a privilige to the rich or whites but not me who's forefathers have been here for millenia.

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