Burned driver dies in hospital
Residents take the law into their hands, leading to the death of the driver whose accident claimed the life of two babies.
The tragic death of two baby four-year old cousins as a result of an alleged car race on a township road yesterday, was made more horrific when members of the public took the law into their own hands and attempted to burn to death the car driver (who later died in hospital).
While the anger and desire for revenge by observers is totally understandable, by taking the law into their own hands they clearly demonstrate to the rest of the world that they have not evolved, that they cannot be considered as responsible humans worthy of respect; they became animals and screamed for blood.
Had this tragic event taken place in London, Paris or Chicago, the onlookers would have, in all probability, made a “citizen’s arrest” and held the suspect until the police arrived; they would not have taken the law into their own hands and appointed themselves as judge and jury.
The exposure the Pistorius trial has had on TV demonstrates that, in the higher courts at least, the law is able to perform well and in a professional manner equal to First World courts. Justice may be slow and sometimes confusing to the South African viewer, but it is fair and just.
Pistorius was not dragged into the street by his neighbours and beaten to death because he had killed Reeva. He was arrested and is being given a fair trial and will be judged according to the law, not killed by mob justice.
What clearly demonstrates South Africa’s progress to the rest of the world is how we treat those accused of crime. “The Pistorius solution” is First World response; arrested and tried (and, in time, if found guilty, punished). The beating and killing of Sibusiso Mbatha is “Third World” justice, and the culprits must be punished by the same legal system that is investigating Pistorius.
As long as South Africans take major steps backwards by slaughtering his fellow man, regardless of whether he is guilty or not, this country cannot progress. South Africans who behave like animals do not deserve the right to vote in democratic elections, and do not yet have the right to claim that they are equal to the rest of the world.
When horrific deaths take place before our eyes, particularly where innocent little children are the victims, we have an opportunity to demonstrate to those around us, as well as the rest of the world, that we have moved up the ladder of evolution and can control our animal instincts; we can step forward and demonstrate that we are civilised human beings, not a pack of animals who release the blood of the accused to mix with the blood of the victims and call it justice.
It is time for Africa to evolve, to stop punishing gays and lesbians, to remove the death penalty from the whole of Africa, to stop judging black brothers because they belong to another country or tribe. It is time for Africans to evolve, to join the First World countries and people, to become civilised.
Richard Stewart
