Why SA is sliding into a failed state

What is happening at the former popular Joburg picnic spot at Gillooly’s Farm might seem minor in the bigger scheme of things – which includes Eskom strangling us and our economy – but it is a perfect example of why this country is sliding into failed state status.

The litter, pollution, thriving thickets of weeds and grass, and the neglected broken and unpainted buildings and fittings at the site, are at once a metaphor for present-day South Africa and also an indictment.

‘We as society don’t care’

Gillooly’s is not Eskom and nobody will be hurt if it is simply reclaimed by nature in its entirety. But multiplied 10, 100 or 1 000 times across the country – which is happening – it shows that we are a society which does not care.

It is not going to cost hundreds of billions of rand to fix the Gillooly’s Farm messes in our country. On the contrary, there would be very little required in terms of capital outlay – half a dozen labourers using hand implements could sort it out in a few days.

ALSO READ: ‘Devastated’– Gillooly’s Farm once a beautiful picnic spot

What is required is that the responsible municipality, Ekurhuleni, just does the job which its ratepayers deserve. So, why do the responsible municipal officials not do their jobs? It’s not about money – we’ve just shown that. It can only, then, be down to incompetence or laziness.

And why are our elected councillors, who are charged with oversight of municipal functions, not doing anything?

Dare we say incompetence or laziness could also apply to them? At its heart is the reality that, when it comes to local government, many of the people supposed to be working on behalf of ratepayers, like their counterparts in the national administration, seem to regard their positions as “just a job” or, worse, a place to get ahead, financially or politically.

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