High crime rate, employment… SA injured and in pain like my knee

I’m writing to you in pain this week, dear reader. Life, in all its cruelty, has pointed out to me that I’m getting older – not a message I like to hear.

On Wednesday, I walked down three little steps when my right knee suddenly collapsed beneath me. It wasn’t a huge surprise.

I had problems with the knee before and the doctor warned against the possibility.

The result was a badly mangled knee and a panicking Dirk who had to cancel all his plans for the day and drive to Pretoria to get help from my not-too-sympathetic doctor.

ALSO READ: Moody’s credit upgrade: Government says it is ‘able to reprioritise spending’

Today, the kneecap is back in position, although I can’t deny that someone screamed like a little girl during the process.

There’s still considerable pain involved, but I’m looking forward to a complete recovery.

I will, however, have to use a pair of crutches for the next six weeks, which is a frustration as I have never used crutches in my life.

Not these modern, aluminium sticks, nor the wooden ones that my childhood friends with broken legs had to use decades ago.

I don’t know how to walk with them, I battle to synchronise my steps… but I’m learning.

Of course that isn’t the end of the world – I have full recovery and a healthy leg to look forward to, even if it means that I have to take things slowly for the next month or two.

At least it gives me time to think about the things that really matter to me – love, children and our lovely country.

READ MORE: Unemployment crisis: SA seeing effects of ‘a very weak policy environment’, say experts

South Africa, you know. This country which is going through much the same as I with my injured knee. Our country is injured as well.

The state of our economy, unemployment, a dysfunctional health system and sky-high crime rates is our equivalent of my dislocated knee.

Our country is limping economically with a weak rand, sky high fuel prices and an impoverished public.

The good news is that positive people such as I believe there are crutches available. And that full recovery is possible, as Moody’s optimism shows.

But it will take an effort by all of us to make it possible. We, as the people, will have to push the country’s kneecap back into position.

Nobody deserve a country with healthy running legs more than the people of our wonderful, sad country.