Effective law enforcement and merciless judiciary needed to keep CrimeA1 in check

Covid is bad enough, but it’s not the only virus overpowering our nation. It’s not death-threatening as such and although we don’t suffer physical afflictions, except some acute diarrhoea, the moral fibre of the nation is being eroded. The main symptom is deep depression.

Unlike Covid, scientists can’t come up with a vaccine for what I call CrimeA1. When do the symptoms kick in? Each time you read of or view a crime report in which monsters committed acts of violence with the intent of destroying property earmarked for enriching the lives in struggling communities. Like schools.

In a recent one, vandals, not finding luxury items normally associated with richer institutions – this was a poor primary school – they ripped out conduits conveying water to taps and toilets, leaving walls with holes and deep scratch marks, and smashed desks and chairs, items costing an arm and a leg.

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CrimeA1 attacks those who cannot stomach the carnage meted out on an institution trying to educate and prepare its pupils to better themselves at school’s end.

What example have these marauders set for the youngsters? What goes through the young minds when witnessing their precious school being vandalised?

Depression struck during which a reporter interviewed a pupil. “Why are you doing this to us? Do we deserve it? There’s not enough money to fix what you’ve destroyed” was the gist of her pleading. The principal had similar thoughts, with tears surfacing.

Then the farm murders. One understands poverty plays a part, with stealing the motive. But why torture and kill elderly farmers? It’s enough to trigger depression and the runs.

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Domestic violence is another element sparking CrimeA1. Without an anti-virus you can’t cure the symptoms, with reports of husbands killing their wives with hammers, or burning their bodies and stashing the parts in car boots? Or raping babies?

In reality, however, there is an antidote available, one about which the ANC is pussyfooting. It’s called ELE-MJ, a strong combination of Effective Law Enforcement and a Merciless Judiciary.

Together with a comprehensive vaccination campaign, it would do what the Covid anti-virus did – keep CrimeA1 in check.