The three things currently at play in South Africa

There are three things currently at play in South Africa. There are those that are protesting, declaring that no economic activity will continue until former president Jacob Zuma is released from serving his 15-month sentence at the Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.

Then, there are those who have piggybacked on these protests in the hopes that they can highlight to all and sundry that they are jobless, poor and hungry.

Then there are those who were looting under the guise of desperation and hunger.

This is the reaction of voters who have watched as politicians continue to line their pockets. In their minds, if politicians can loot at will, with little or no consequence, why can’t they?

If the men and women in expensive suits can do it – for Jeeps, swimming pools, private tuition for their children and holiday homes – what is stopping them from following that example? These are those people that loot not to satisfy hunger, not for the freedom of Zuma, but because their only intention is economic gain hidden under the first two banners.

A man who steals a flat-screen TV because it is bigger than the one he already has at home; a woman who steals a weave, not because her uniform for work is missing a few items, but because she wants a particular weave to add to her collection; a couple who decide their house needs new furniture items because the ones they already have are outdated; a group of friends who decide that the bottle stores have been closed for too long and now is the time to
enjoy expensive alcohol without paying for it…

While the country burns, remember this: we are undeniably led by a government so removed from its people that redress is something they cannot fathom.

We are led by a government so alienated from the people, how do they quell the tensions?

This is a stark reminder to all political parties in South Africa that they have become so far removed from the voter that, in times of a crisis, they cannot meet us on our terms. This is a complete failure by those who lead.