Rid the rot at the ballot box

Whether the ANC is behind the protests to damage the election is a moot point. One would think not, as it was quick to dampen the envisaged Ace book burning plan knowing it would negatively affect the party.

That aside, burning and looting have become common occurrences. Let’s do a mental count: how many trains have been destroyed by fire? Buses? Schools? Libraries? Looting of shops?

Violent street protests, too, are nothing new. Paradoxically, all these forms of protest don’t serve the purpose. If they had, they wouldn’t be repeated time and again for the same grievances.

Take the common problem: housing. How many have been built in any given area where residents have taken to the streets? Relatively few, and those built fall to pieces.

The fact is, protests have a boomerang effect.

Firstly, they turn violent, resulting in injury from rubber bullets and rocks, shops looted, essential services destroyed.

When protesters awake the next morning to the devastation, they are worse off than before. Overnight, buses and trains are fewer, leaving workers stranded with the prospect of losing pay; pupils have no schools to attend, and no libraries to increase knowledge; and no shops to purchase basic items like milk and bread.

That the right to protest forms an essential part of democracy is a given. But “peaceful” is the word. Inevitably though, vandalism becomes part of the equation.

We need to go to the source of most protests: corrupt and incompetent municipalities. They are the ones causing folk going public. If councils administered the monies properly, service delivery would not be such a huge problem, so no reason for protest.

Undoubtedly, there is empathy for the protesters as most of our local councillors are fraudsters. But it’s still no excuse for violence. Take the recent Caledon protests during which three lives were lost.

Peaceful protests are one thing, but allowing rock throwing arsonists and looters free rein is quite another.

The answer? For starters, improved police intelligence on the ground anticipating trouble, and taking preventive measures.

Long term solution? Rid the rot at the top through the ballot box.

Cliff Buchler.

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