Recently it was announced that the Boksburg Police Station will soon introduce a divine intervention programme whereby local pastors will regularly visit the police station and pray with the men and women in blue and their support team.
Great idea, but if this project will bear any fruit is the other question. After all, two years ago the same station also launched a divine intervention programme.
At the time it was stressed the importance of forming such a partnership in the fight against crime and using and calling for God’s intervention in the fight against crime. Two years later and it seems we are still waiting for divine intervention.
This renewed initiative brings to light two realities: South Africa generally needs divine intervention urgently, and secondly the wheel turns very slowly for anything to get done.
After all, it has taken the government 26 years to realise we are drowning in debt because of the enormous public wage bill.
And so every year about a third of the national budget pays the salaries of many who are not even supposed to be employed by the government (disguised as job creation).
This money has always been squeezed out of the poor taxpayer who simply cannot pay anymore. At least we can sigh with relief that VAT will remain unchanged.
Consider that at the moment the country’s tax revenue shortfall for 2019/20 stands at around R63.3-billion, much higher than the R52.5-b projected in the 2019 medium term budget policy statements.
This is shocking, and it is all because of the high and unchecked levels of corruption, mismanagement and poor leadership.
Our finance minister more than ever needs the wisdom of Solomon to save the sinking ship, but is this not a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted?
Some see the budget is being positive, but in reality there is zero guarantee of anything improving, including addressing the 29 per cent unemployment rate.
After all, we are talking of 26 years of governing a country to the edge of the abyss, where 17 million plus people rely on social grants, where most state-owned enterprises are bankrupt, and where trillions have been stolen.
And now, all of a sudden, government realises that R160-b needs to be cut from the state wage bill.
Yes, things move slowly in this country, just slightly faster than the economic growth. And yes, Mr President, the cabinet still has not been cut, and not one person has been jailed for capturing the state.
All that remains is divine intervention to save the country and the morale of the people. After all, who has any faith left in our politicians or government CEOs?
Without divine intervention, what hope really exists? We live in a metro which cannot even find a contractor in time to maintain the local cemetery.
In the meantime, crime is rampant, roads fall apart, an the elderly at Scribante are still without the service of a lift.
It is a land of disgrace and shame. How we need divine intervention for our government that is in desperate need of wisdom, and of leadership, and for our teachers and parents as our youth slips deeper into the muck of self-destruction.
And in the meantime, let us pray also for divine intervention for those who ignore the rules of the road, for those who think hurting a child or animal is amusing, and for those who continue to plunder and steal.
Heck, we all need divine intervention (some are probably more concerned about praying for the right Lotto numbers than for the sanity of this nation), and urgently, and let us pray it happens soon to survive this year.
