Comment: A topsy turvy 2014

The year, however, would sadly be remembered for making the wrong kind of news, hardly inspiring a feeling of goodwill (which only crawls out of the cupboard on December 25, along with Father Christmas carrying his E-tag), peace or tolerance.

The trial of Oscar Pistorius, who was eventually (after an excruciating long trial) found guilty for homicide in the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, caused international bedlam among the media.

Reporters from far finally discovered where South Africa is when they packed their bags to cover the trial (the concept that it is in the south of Africa is apparently not so obvious), and while they stayed here they also discovered there are no lions walking the streets, and yes, Mandela, like Elvis Presley, has left the building.

There is nothing like juicy controversy to put a country on the map! In America, the hauntings of the infamous OJ Simpson murder trial resurfaced, with many picturing with horror of the white glove (not the one of Michael Jackson) – a piece of evidence that eventually led to the former athlete walking away as a free man.

Indeed, the country was gripped by the antics of the blade runner, with scenes reminiscent of LA Law playing out in our local High Court with opposing legal teams battling for supremacy as if they scored the leading roles in the new Star Wars movie.

Fanatical followers relished the unfolding drama, which at times felt more like a badly written soapie. One had to wonder how so many people could sacrifice family and time to be glued to the screens religiously for the trial, but then again, people are hooked worse than drugs on reality TV like The Kardashians. So, enough said.

More close to home, three local murders shook the nation, more specifically Reiger Park. We were reminded that no matter how the media gobbled up the tragedy, families lost loved ones, a community was struck with deep grief and violence against children remains a lurking monster in our towns.

The death of Reiger Park toddlers Cuburne van Wyk and Taegrin Morris, along with the shooting of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa in Vosloorus, brought the country back to reality – we are still a very violent and immoral nation where life holds no value.

Police competence also came under the spotlight in 2014, as the charges against both suspects in the Taegrin and Senzo cases were withdrawn in court due to certain technicalities. The ghost of OJ Simpson’s Christmas past dwells with us it seems.

It is no wonder the community of Reiger Park is baying for blood, because no matter the promises made by President Zuma to curb violence, SA’s women and children are not safe.

The increasing reports of child molestations, the abuse of women and human-trafficking is enough of a testimony that here in our Rainbow Nation we are not as civilised, enlightened or humane as we think.

This is the legacy Nelson Mandela hoped to leave, but the circus in Parliament speaks volumes of our country’s lawlessness and decline into anarchy.

How else to explain the continuing taxi war between the Reiger Park and Vosloorus Taxi Associations, which resulted this year in the death of Andy Khoza and five other people who were slain in Windmill Park.

Lawlessness indeed abounds, as seen in the The Post Office strike (at times I still cannot believe this actually happened), while in January, Amcu members at Lonmin, Implats, and Anglo American Platinum embarked on an almost five-month long strike.

Both these strikes, along with numerous others, caused extensive harm to our country’s image, to the welfare of its people and our economy – yet, where was the government to be a light in the prevailing darkness?

We are frightfully facing dark times ahead in 2015, with Eskom struggling to provide power, despite numerous reports of dubious spending such as the power giant spending at least R1-billion of taxpayers’ money on a labour consultancy and dishing out huge bonuses that could fund the Angelo informal settlement for a year. Go figure.

We can be forgiven to think we live in the Twilight Zone here in the south; this after a review panel investigating the validity of the E-tolls was set up, only for the government to say no matter the findings the system will remain in place. Quite frankly, nothing makes sense with our government. Maybe it is the diet.

And who will forget the Gauteng water crisis? We cringed then, but now we laugh at how something like this could have happened in affluent Gauteng.

A ‘technical glitch’ and the theft of electricity cables were blamed, but let us be honest, contingency plans along with the concept of maintenance is something foreign to the understanding of the powers that be.

What is interesting is how the sands of the political landscape are shifting, highlighted by the tension between Cosatu and Numsa, along with the ANC and the EFF. So let us watch this space, and hope we will not drown in a political mudslide.

Ah well, let us take heart that not only is SA in turmoil. All over the world there is chaos, like the riots in America caused by the so-called racial shooting in Ferguson; with the the Middle East remaining a pressure cooker of conflict; with Hong Kong rocked by pro-democracy demonstrations, while the shadow of Mother Russia looms large over all.

Yes, this Christmas I am staying home in sunny (or is that rainy) South Africa, enjoying a braai or two (actually safeguarding my property), feeling quite relieved I don’t need the skills of Sebastian Vettel just to navigate the holiday roads.

By the way, to all travellers, drive safe, drive slower, drive sober and keep others on the road in mind.

The only real good news that one can share is that the price of fuel had dropped dramatically, thanks to a lower price for brent crude oil.

At least now we can drive twice around a block instead of once to make sure no one is following us home, so that criminals can make our homes the top destination for their Christmas shopping.

So all that is left to say is Merry Christmas, and have a festive season (with one eye always open for the boogieman).