'Stop bitching or get out!'

2006-06-01 23:25

Deon de Lange

Cape Town - Stop bitching or get out!

That was Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula's message on Thursday to those that he called "constant moaners".

And to those threatening to leave the country because of the high crime rate, the message was: "Get a life!

"There are two options. You can complain until you are blue in the face or leave the country so that the rest of us can get on with our work."

Among those, he said, were the Democratic Alliance's Roy Jankielsohn and Ray King, as well as Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front Plus.

Nqakula said during the discussion of his budget vote it was significant that complaints always came from people with surnames such as Jankielsohn, King and Groenewald.

Townships used to fighting crime

"Why don't you hear complaints from township folk?"

Nqakula said the reason probably was because township residents had been fighting crime for years.

"The government you were part of left these people to their own devices when it came to crime.

"Now that you're also on the receiving end of crime, you start complaining.

"That's disgusting!"

Nqakula was clearly annoyed by a DA suggestion that he spend time at home fighting crime instead of trying to broker peace in Burundi.

"This is a clear indication that you don't understand politics at all.

"It makes sense that the president sends his safety and security minister to help our friends in other countries.

An even-bigger crime problem

"If we don't help, their citizens will inevitably end up in South Africa.

"And if they come here and there's no work? Nowhere to stay and nothing to eat?

"What then?

"Then we'll have an even-bigger crime problem.

"If you don't understand this, then you shouldn't be here!"

- Beeld