Rid us of these Blue Lights

I’ve rarely known a non-governmental CEO, university rector or any number of private sector high-power positions to have access to a blue light brigade.

Maybe they have helicopters but it feels rather strange that the work of governmental high-ups is so urgent that they get preferential treatment on the streets.

Even stranger is that even with this advantage, they tend to rock up late a lot of the time.

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Why do they even have this benefit?

It’s not like the work of a minister can be more demanding than that of the CEO of a JSE listed company and, even if it were, it’s not like they do much of what is required given the state of the country. So, where does this imposed importance come from?

Yes, in days of snail mail and telefax, it’s understandable that political leadership needed to be in many places but that was then. Today, not only do we have the benefits of the internet but we also have a record number of ministers, deputies, directors, general secretaries, and, and, and…

If anything, the continued need for speeding from one place to another just shows incompetence in calendar planning.

Is a blue light brigade’s availability to a minister late for dinner the kind of equality envisioned by the Constitution when I’ll get a speeding fine to avoid being late for court?

Moreover is it okay to have a suspension of rules of the roads for some people, while the rest of us are expected to slow to a stop and let some black BMWs roll right through and occasionally cause a bit of an accident just because some urgency is more urgent than other urgency?

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Sure, if there was value to society, let’s be all for it. I love letting ambulances through in traffic and if the cops are chasing down some evil mofo, I hope they catch ‘em and I’ll be sure to get out of the way. But the Minister of Something or Other? Why is it that important that they are on time to cut a ribbon to open a soon-to-be-closed public resource? What makes a member of the executive so important that they get to ride with the cast of Fast and the Furious 18: Mzanzi Kota?

Increasingly, we’ve been hearing several unpleasant stories of these anointed road guardians of the elite, but they don’t seem to do much for us mere mortals.

Well, sometimes they beat us up, make us late for our kids’ sports, or simply crash a car or two. But ultimately, the beneficiaries are those who get to their destination with the legal advantage the rest of us don’t have.

I understand; sometimes you just can’t help scheduling your golf so close to your lunch and need a bit of speed. I get it that there’s this idea that the work done by the blue light beneficiaries is seemingly important. If that’s the case, then let’s have it. Give us the website where we can check, after the fact, what the rush was.

What? Is it too much accountability to ask for? Is it a security threat to know a week later where a convey that I had to yield for, ignoring the regular rules of the road, was going? If it is a security threat because of consistent trips, welcome to the lives of everyday South Africans. Also plan your life better so you don’t need to speed to get there, seeing as it’s a regular trip anyway.

ALSO READ: Three cops accused in vehicle scam case ‘also connected to blue lights investigation’

Whatever way you cut it, the blue lights hardly make any sense and if they’re not scrapped, they should at least be reviewed.

If the work is so important, could the public see some benefit from that once in a while? That would be lovely!