How do you make a complete nobody look like somebody?
You surround "the nobody" with a bunch of burly men in suits, shades and headsets. Thus the kindergarten's portly palooka now has round the clock protection at a reported cost of R300 000 per month, billed to you and me, of course.
Yes worn out, gatvol, taxpayers of South Africa, a meagre R3.6m per year is what it takes to keep little J safe from the evils of the land. Must be comforting to read the Sunday papers and realise that it is relatively unlikely that you will die in your driveway as thousands of fellow citizens have gone before.
Apparently the main palooka has received "death threats". How would he know is my question? Reading is not the man's strong point. Perhaps it was an invitation to a braai, a flyer for a new hair salon, a letter from a loving neighbour... a traffic fine, perhaps. Nah, if it starts like this NOW, you can only imagine what the state of security affairs will be like in a few years.
It's classic Africa it has to be said.
Men with guns to protect fat despots, or despots in development, in this case. Round and round we go, it really is getting rather tedious. The ridiculousness of it all has reached such epic proportions that the average South African (of all races) can do nothing but shake our heads and open another bottle of the strong stuff.
Between the daily deluge of mismanagement and the piss-poor excuses that goes along with it, between the ridiculousness of what is spewed forth as the truth from the many official spokespeople for the (clearly) many cadres who cannot speak for themselves, and the merciless mockery of sound democratic principles that seems to be the sole right of our elected officials - it's little wonder that average Joe, Jill, Jonas and Joyce are feeling rather uptight and rightfully pissed-off.
The nation is restless. We are annoyed at the wasteful expenditure. We are upset at the lack of moral fibre and we've pretty much had it with having to fund all this nonsense.
From outrageous municipal bills that are clearly not being calculated properly, to ineffective policing, disastrous public healthcare and a shambles of an education system, you have to ask some really hard questions of a government that is clearly out of its depth in many departments - and way too stubborn to face up to it.
This country is filled with people who want to do the right thing. Who expect nothing more than fair return for fair effort. Who want to live and work in peace. Who are prepared to go the extra mile, get their hands dirty and make this an example for the rest of this continent to follow.
We do not need body-guarded politicians to tell us what to think, believe and how to feel about each other. We do not need buffet-hogging bureaucrats to siphon our taxes for their own benefit. We do not need to accept the reality with which we are presented.
We are the electorate. We deserve better. We demand answers.
"Grow a pair and lead, Mr President."
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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.