Listen as world laughs – ‘SA has developed a reputation for corruption’

We live in a country with so much potential. Our diversity and multiculturalism add to this potential, yet we seem to be working hard at destroying our own potential and plunging the entire country into failure and poverty through corruption.

We boast one of the most progressive constitutions in the world and yet we work hard at trying to ignore it. We allow and even enable destructive marches, protests and riots. Surely there is a difference between “free speech” and “free looting and destruction”?

Lawlessness

Why do we allow such lawlessness? We allow and even condone an anarchist, militant populist party to hold the entire country hostage, scare off investors and tourists, degrade our already failed economy, and bring our country even further into disrepute.

What is wrong with us? If we want to boast of being the “cradle of humankind”, why haven’t we progressed as others have? As the cradle of mankind, we ought to have surpassed everyone, yet we haven’t.

Why not?

Why have we forgotten our pride and integrity? Why have we developed a reputation for corruption, laziness and entitlement?

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Why have we allowed those who strive to bring us and the country into disrepute, to continue doing so? We have allowed the hollowing out of state-owned enterprises and critical services. We have watched the crumbling of our infrastructure and done nothing to stop it.

Why? Why haven’t we built our own successful business corporations and entities, instead of bad-mouthing those who have done so? They don’t “owe” us anything and besides, they are contributing vast sums to our tax base. Are we? We act as though everyone owes us something. They don’t. We act as though we are entitled. We aren’t.

People want to live their lives and become the best they can be, regardless of who they are. We should applaud that instead of trying to stop it. It is no wonder that skilled young people and entrepreneurs are leaving our country in droves and taking their skills and our potential with them.

Corrpution

Are you one of those who prefer corruption and theft over hard work? If so, when will you finally have stolen enough? Sadly, those who have stolen and stolen, act as though they actually worked hard to achieve their fake wealth. Shame on them. Are you one of those who work hard at propagating anger, hate, racism and xenophobia to plunge us into a civil war?

Just take a look at countries that have undergone these conflicts and see the damage that has been done. Even decades after the fact, they are still in ruins. Are you one of those who continually blames the past yet refuse to take responsibility for our present and future? Take a look at our cities and how they have gone from functional to dysfunctional.

Currently, most of them look like filthy ghettos with rubbish-strewn streets. Are you one of those who, while claiming to support democracy, actually support the elimination of democracy? Are you one of those who, while exploiting workers, demand better working conditions and pay for them but simply speak it to sound “progressive”?

Are you one of those who berate foreign investors yet complain loudly when they disinvest? If so, you are a hypocrite. Do we have so little faith and confidence in ourselves that we must attack anyone who actually inspires confidence in our country?

Hear how Africa and the world laugh.