A better life for all – but the jailbirds

It’s the silly season in the lead-up to the general election in less than three weeks, so every time a politician says something that makes sense this month – yes, you heard us, they sometimes do – we should take it with a pinch of salt.

“We will create jobs; we will end load shedding – oh, wait that’s happened for 40-odd days for now, hooray – we will reduce crime and we will ensure pothole-free roads” to paraphrase some of what the political parties are promising. Ah, kumbaya – what a wonderful world we live in.

Everything is going to be okay, they say.

Voters – at least those that hopefully show up in force on Wednesday, 29 May – are not stupid and realise anything and everything will be promised just to get your X on voting day.

But you’ve got to give it to some of the promises, because occasionally they make sense.

ALSO READ: ‘No new uniforms for criminals’ – Malema says EFF will prioritise citizens over prisoners

Step up Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema saying what we all feel: the benefits currently being given to prisoners must be given to law-abiding citizens.

Addressing the Brits community in North West yesterday, he said: “Our children can’t learn with an empty stomach. They have asked me where the money for free school uniforms will come from. I’ve told them I will take it from the same place where the money for prisoners’ uniforms comes from. You give prisoners uniforms every year, but not our children.”

He added: “Under the EFF government, a prisoner will get a uniform when they’re arrested and no new uniform will be provided for them until they’re released. Even if its torn at the back, it’s none of our business. A prisoner in jail has breakfast, lunch and supper. A citizen outside doesn’t even know where the next meal will come from.”

Free school uniforms might be a stretch. But giving a criminal a better life than a law-abiding one does not make sense – especially when it comes to children.