I have, as of writing this, received an email from Clr Hart and a phone call from a resident regarding my column last week.
You know, the one about the now infamous rape hotspot signboard which was placed illegally.
And again, what has amazed me is how some people are still more concerned about the signboard, which was placed illegally, as opposed to the rape which took place.
The resident who phoned me said her property price has dropped significantly since the sign was placed, illegally.
Fair enough, people have every right to be concerned with property prices. And if a sign, placed illegally, has this impact, then I shudder to think what a rape near your house would do to the price of your property.
Once again, I must stress something – I cannot understand the shock and horror about the signboard (the illegal one) but there appears to be little concern about the rape, which is a Priority A crime.
Thus far, it would appear the rape is a side issue, almost, which resulted in the far worse offence of the signboard being placed. Illegally.
Guys, I get it. Opening curtains and seeing a signboard, an illegal one, is far worse than opening the newspaper and reading about a rape that took place near your home.
It may seem I am making a big deal of this incident, and I am. But to be fair, if I could make a big deal about rape across the country, I would. I do believe residents should hold everyone, from ward councillors to the President of South Africa, accountable for our shocking rape statistics.
I write for a community newspaper, so I have to focus on events in my area. But rape happens across South Africa, and all too often I hear the same mantra being repeated:
It is not safe to walk alone at night.
It is not safe to run alone.
It is not safe to be out late at night.
It is not safe to walk alone.
She should not have been wearing that.
What do you expect, going to clubs late at night.
The area is known to be dangerous.
Let’s clear something up, once and for all. Please tell me where in South Africa is it safe to walk alone? Where in South Africa can you jog alone?
Prior to the placement of the rape hotspot signboard, the illegal one, there appeared to be no indication of action against the current illegal signboards in the area.
Yet, at the time of writing this column, it seemed fairly clear that within one or two weeks, the sign would be removed.
People have told me, on numerous occasions now, that everyone knows the area is dangerous. And yet, over three years, nothing has been done to secure the area.
Well, let me rephrase that. Efforts to change things may well have been undertaken, and I am sure they were, but with no visible results.
Following the placement of the illegal signboard, a shopping centre has undertaken to place a security guard in the area, linked to a security company, and to install lighting.
This was not undertaken by the local ward councillor. Not in three years.
As I have campaigned against e-tolling, I am now campaigning against rape. Likewise, I am sick of excuses.
I am well aware of what Clr Hart is up against. I know she cannot personally take charge of the required department (s) to effect change. And more’s the pity.
This story is repeated time and again across South Africa. Some councillors try to implement change and come up against stone walls. Clr Hart is one such councillor.
But at what point do the tax-paying, voting residents get to say enough is enough? At what point do the excuses stop? I don’t care from whom the excuse comes, it must stop.
Officials should be held accountable. We pay taxes and we voted you into that position.
I just cannot imagine what the victim must be thinking right now, or her mother, or her family, or the countless other victims across South Africa.
Such a fuss about this terrible, illegal, signboard.
Pity we cannot feel the same sense of outrage about the poor woman who was raped.
