The age of denial is upon us with the ANC spearheading the movement. It is the latest remedy used by the ANC to denounce and rebuff anything that has a negative impact on their not so squeaky clean reputation abroad and their tolerance of criminality and mediocre methods of dealing with it. With the Soccer World Cup on its way this tactic has gone into overdrive.
The lies about the international misconception of violent crime in South Africa are oozing out of the mouths of our politicians like drunken dribble. We have suddenly become a "safe country" with very little violent crime or criminals.
Maybe back in the Stone Age you could have got away with denying the facts around a violent criminal attack or robbery because witnesses were scarce, recording equipment was non existent and lawlessness was the order of the day.
What our current government needs to understand is whether they admit to it or not, guilt is assessed on its merits and the proof around the alleged actions. You cannot simply say "I didn't do it", or "it didn't happen" or "I don't know" if there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary, you did do it, it did happen and you do know.
The problem is in South Africa you can say it and get away with it. There is however evidence that can substantiate that this country is extremely dangerous and the likelihood of you getting robbed at gun point is a betting mans dream the odds are so good. What amazes me most is how easily journalists can find these violent criminals to interview them yet they evade police for years.
The latest furore is around the SWC and overseas companies selling self defence items such as bullet proof vests, stab proof vests and other protective gear to tourists coming to the world cup. Good for them, prevention is better than the cure and if criminals were malaria mosquitoes South Africa is a high risk area where Anopheles Gambiae are as thick as thieves and anti-violent attack precautions are critical.
Unsuspecting tourists are sitting ducks for our hardened free roaming thugs.
According to our government these protective items are not necessary because we don't have a crime problem and we are being falsely represented on the international stage. Wake up ANC, we live in a dangerous country in comparison to Europe and America where the majority of international soccer tourists live. They can be forgiven for feeling a little insecure when visiting a country with 50 murders a day, daily violent armed robberies, countless rapes, car hijackings and other violent attacks.
It is time the ANC stop using denial tactics to brainwash the masses and desensitise them from reality. It doesn't work, just because they vote for you don't be so naïve as to think they believe everything you say. It is clearly evident that the majority of the voters vote with their hearts and gratitude for the ANC’s endurance through the struggle and not with their brains.
These same citizens live amongst the killers, rapists, robbers and psychopaths and it's difficult for all of us listen to the hogwash bleated out by our ministers and SAFA leaders who say we are safe and crime is over exaggerated. Surely there must be a problem when you are a deputy minister of self enrichment, minister of luxury procurement or a youth leader of woodwork protected from crime and threat with 10 body guards each. Please then explain to a tourist why wearing a bullet proof vest is wrong if someone as unimportant as Malema has body guards 24 hours a day and most people live in prisons created around their homes to keep the evil out.
When confronted with the overwhelming evidence that South Africa is an often lawless dangerous hunting ground for hardened violent criminals who will kill you for a cellphone or less it is understandable that tourists may feel a little frightened and want to protect themselves. It is their right, and if they want to wear protective clothing then that's ok. Don't slam their choices because of our problems and inability to deal with violence.
We live in the global village and information travels fast and bad news even faster. Western countries value life a lot more than Africa does and that shows in the way they deal with violent crime and murder. Violence is not tolerated and is not swept under the carpet to protect their image. The West has their fair share of white collar fraud and corruption, but it's the senseless uncontrolled violence and death that scares them for obvious reason. Maybe its time we put human rights for criminals on hold until we have a country whose citizens respect life and have rooted out this violent disease that is killing our country and holding it to ransom.
Botswana has a zero tolerance approach to violent crime and if you compare our tragically high violent crime stats with theirs the proof in their approach to dealing with violent crime would be evident. I think most tourists when given the facts would prefer a world cup in Botswana. It's a lot safer and criminals are dealt with swiftly and strictly unlike our country where criminals share our rights regardless of their crime. I'd feel happier if my taxes were buying rope to hang these animals with instead of feeding and housing them .Maybe then tourists would come here without having to buy stab proof vests and just enjoy our beautiful country without fear of attack.
I guess just living here makes you a denial expert which is a huge part of our defence mechanism which justifies living amongst some of the most psychotic criminals in the world. Those who do wake up from the utopia of denial usually pack up and immigrate to Australia, Canada or New Zealand where you are more likely to die from old age than a bullet, knife or other home made weapon used by one of our "imagined criminal attackers". Until the ANC stop denying the facts we are destined to be passenger's onboard downward spiral.
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Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.