What we have learned in the past week is that the competence of government at all levels has been put to the test – and failed.
As we marked Nelson Mandela Day last Sunday, it is well to remember that what started off with vision, with optimism, with lack of rancour with Mandela, has spiraled downwards at an alarming rate. Eskom, SA Railways, Post Office, SAA, Guptas etc. are all signposts on the road to failure.
And now protection of us, the citizens. Security intelligence failed to see the Zuma riots coming, then the police and security forces failed in every other way.
They’re undoubtedly under resourced, perhaps ill-trained, but whose responsibility is that?
Standing in the long queue to get into a supermarket on Friday I could only thank our brave and resourceful community for the fact that we still had supermarkets standing.
The residents picked up arms and said “No!” when it was apparent that police were incapable of protecting our communities.
Ballito had not a single store damaged, thanks to swift reaction by security companies, businesses and residents. Compare this in KZN and Gauteng: Pepkor lost 489 stores, Foschini 190 stores, Spar 184 stores (incl. 62 TOPS, 31 Build it), Mr Price Group 109 stores, Famous Brands 99 stores, Massmart 42 stores (incl. 10 Game, 8 Builders, 2 Makro) and Cashbuild 36 stores. Plus 120 pharmacies.
There was a very thin line between hordes of looters and sanity. Witness the trashing of Tongaat, Shakaskraal and Stanger, where shopkeepers were helpless to stop the looting.
A desperate shopkeeper in Shakaskraal surveying his ruined store told our reporter: “There were too many of them. I could only go round the corner and cry.”
Ballito businesses and residents got together and organised a single co-ordinating body to protect our town.
One can only wonder at province and local government calling on them to stand down. And replace their barricades with what? Good intentions?
Government has shown its hand – it is only interested in flexing its puny muscles over petty building regulations and the like, but when the solids hit the fan they are nowhere to be found.
When did you last see a community safety officer on duty in Ballito? But 15 pitched up on Friday to tell residents manning roadblocks to go home.
And what was an argument against roadblocks? Oh yes, the hoary old race card. Our protectors were turning away black people, they claimed. They were wrong.
Considering what had happened in Tongaat, Shakaskraal and Stanger, I think those manning the barricades – black and white together – could be forgiven for being ultra-cautious about who came into town. Were they residents? What was their business?
It is sad, yes, that black people living West of the N2 were desperate for provisions because so much had been destroyed.
Well, we have the government to thank for the lack of security and policing in our time of need.
Blame the politicians who have been stuffing their faces and pockets for years instead of providing for a better-equipped police force.
That’s what elections are for.
The truth about colour is that in my experience in Tiffany’s Spar on Friday, and next door in Clicks, there were as many blacks and Indians as whites from throughout the Dolphin Coast who had been let through the barricades, where whites and blacks stood shoulder to shoulder. From cars not only with NT plates, from taxis and on foot.
It is amazing how in the mind of some politicians, stopping people at a routine roadblock is a much bigger offence than the looting.
There is a temptation to throw in the towel. Pack for Perth. SA is going the way of Zimbabwe.
No! Hindsight can only tell you about the past, not the future. Because other African countries were driven to their knees doesn’t mean that must happen here, as night would follow day. It will only happen if you and I allow it to happen.
Because it has been shown in the last week that our safety and future lie in the hands of citizens.
We can be different. We are different. We want to be captains of our ships and succeed, black and white together and that can only happen if we want it so.
For breaking news follow The North Coast Courier on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
