Patriotism is the key to overcoming divisive narratives

There is a test of patriotism in South Africa. A conflict in the Democratic Republic Congo has dragged South Africa into it as a peacekeeping force.

Across the ocean and onto another continent, the US President Donald Trump seems to be hellbent on causing racial divisions by feeding fear and mistrusts.

While Rwandan President Paul Kagame has threatened President Cyril Ramaphosa, calling him a liar.

He not only threatened the individual, but also the flag of South Africa, her people and her first line of defence – our soldiers.

South African leaders pride themselves on South Africa being a global giant. As it stands, we are on the list of two countries which do not see value in us. It is for us to keep our dignity and value.

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We are liked until we question wrongdoing. Does Ramaphosa have business interests in the DRC, that his interests may be more than that of the nation? Since he is a businessman, doesn’t that make him good for the US?

This country not working means Ramaphosa has a lot to lose. He needs South Africa and Africa to work as much as we do. More so, as a country we need to instil patriotism among ourselves. Patriotism is defined as a feeling of devotion to a country.

At the first whisper by any outsider, South Africans find themselves split, displaying our division for the ones who benefit from our infighting. There is not enough reliable data to estimate the murder rate of South African farmers but we concede there are murders happening on farms.

There are commercial crimes disguised as farm murders. There is a case before the courts where a wife attempted to murder her husband and have the act be seen as a farm murder. This being said, how do we tell them apart?

And black farmers exist, too, and they also have been victims of farm crimes.

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How do we treat them differently when we address a crime against them as farmers? Why do we allow people to sell us a false narrative as they tear us apart?

More importantly, patriotism means that Kagame didn’t threaten Ramaphosa as a person, but he threatened our flag. That means being ANC or not, we must rally and protect our nation.

Internal politics can be resolved, but we must stand united against anything that undermines South Africa. We need to learn to stand together as a people, while internally holding our government accountable.