No points for negativity
2009-07-06 08:08
I reckon the point demerit system that is being brought in to curb delinquency on our roads should be expanded to people who bring our country into disrepute.
I'm not sure it will work on our roads because the idea is that motorists are given a bunch of points and with every offence they commit, points get taken away and when they have none left they lose their driving licences.
It's going to be hard to take away drivers' licences from those millions of South Africans motorists who actually don't have one to start with, but the concept of demerit points for bad behaviour is a good one.
And as we enter an age of points scoring, it is probably time to look at a demerit points system for people who do or say stupid things that harm Brand South Africa.
Like Pieter de Villiers and Schalk Burger for starters. And all those politicians and unionists who say the most incredibly silly things and make the world look down their noses at us and shake their heads in awe. Then go and travel or invest somewhere else.
Restaurant owners who rip tourists off and some of those immigration officers airports who treat visiting tourists as though they were all clandestinely trying to import a combination of swine flu and anthrax into the country. The list is endless. Every day some South African somewhere is trashing the country with acts and words of sheer insanity.
Let's face it; this is important stuff we are talking about. Right now with the economic meltdown every country in the world is fighting to entice tourists and investors.
Surely there can be nothing more important these days than a country's reputation?
But, it seems to me anyone can do anything they like to tarnish the image of this country without getting into any sort of trouble.
Which is crazy. In the old days they used to behead people for treason against the state for saying things a heck of a lot less inflammatory than some of those choice remarks coming from Pieter de Villiers recently.
Sure, we need to speak out about crime, fraud and corruption in government. That's not what I am talking about. Sheer stupidity should also carry some sort of punishment.
Maybe we should have a special section of the Constitutional Court with the power to take demerit points away from people who make South Africa looked stupid. Every citizen, company and politician should start off with say, 12 points and every time they do or say something that brings the country into disrepute a certain number of points should be taken away until such time as they have none left and be required by law not to keep their mouths shut for a period of two years.
South Africa is a great country. I would like to say greater than most because we have managed to get ahead without having to indulge in a bloody revolution or bomb the daylights out of other countries which seems to be the way developed nations like doing things.
Sure, we have our problems. But, we are shooting ourselves in the foot by not protecting our own brand.
It's tough enough having to deal with real issues without having to put up with idiots who shoot their mouths off without thinking about the damage they do to us all.
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