Captains of industry and President Zuma have lamented levels of violence sweeping the platinum belt and other parts of the country. Not to be cynical but I am tempted to ask this pertinent question - are we a very violent country?
In most incidences of service delivery protests in many parts of the country, destruction of public and private property is a norm and now recently Kuruman was not to be outdone.
In the past 5 months, the demand for a tarred road in this sleepy town has been marred by incidences of violence and forced schools’ boycott. Schools have been burned down and private property destroyed. Whole communities have been held hostage by a few delinquents ready to exert maximum violence to impress their will.
How many times have we had incidences, where a community legitimately demand more classrooms at the local school. And to forcefully put their objective across, they burn down the 10 classrooms they already had and the local public library?
Violence erupted after a soccer game between Swallows and Sundowns on the 30th Sept. 2012. After the humiliation at the ‘feet’ of Swallows – the die-hard Sundowns supporters bayed for the coach’s blood and in the ensuing rage, the stadium was destroyed.
The Road Freight strike has now claimed its first victim, but that was to be expected after last week’s violence at Ekurhuleni, Joburg and Cape Town. The National Roads next to the OR Tambo International Airport at Ekurhuleni came to a standstill as strikers stoned and burned trucks. In one incident at Ekurhuleni, a community had to be evacuated because a truck carrying poisonous cargo was burned down.
Political opportunism has been upped in Kwazulu Natal and this has culminated in assassinations. Party politics is today a sure way to attain instant wealth and dish out patronage. And some have resorted to violence to attain that objective.
Who would forget the every day violent crimes of robbery and rape?
Just last week there was a road rage incident where one lost his life. Domestic violence is reported almost daily and weekends are the worst. And in Pretoria last weekend a woman was murdered by a jilted boyfriend.
These incidences of violence happen in different parts of the country and mostly perpetrated by people with no inherent relation. But one thing unites them all – the unsurpassed urge to attain their objective through violence.
My observation and assertion: Industrial actions or strikes, service delivery protests, domestic disputes and crime has become more violent. Any dissent is met with maximum violence. No consideration is given to others’ Right to life, association or work. And no consideration is given to private, public property and life. Violence is now a norm as long as the objective is attained.
I am also tempted to conclude – all this is as result of self-hate and self-worthlessness inherent in many communities.
I am reminded of the late BoB Marley’s rendition of – Real Situation. www.metrolyrics.com/real-situation-lyrics-bob-marley.html
Blame apartheid, whoever or whatever – South Africa is a violent country, period!
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