DA Councillor Dave Dewes writes: I am extremely disappointed that Nkandla did not have a bigger impact on the vote against the corrupt Zuma Government. In any other first-world democracy, this single incident would have sunk the ruling party.
Yet these elections are proof that after 20 years of democracy, we have still not moved on from apartheid. I do not only refer to the majority of black people who continue voting on racial lines, I also refer to the majority of white or privileged individuals in this beautiful country of ours – those individuals who escaped the horrific ramifications of a suppressive State.
The results are just further proof that we no longer can afford to sit around on our apathetic butts complaining while maladministration, blatant corruption and ill-advised economic policies reflect directly on job losses. I have been saying this for years. The only way we will break this extremely negative cycle is by the privileged giving back.
Help start a crèche in a squatter camp. Help the jobless market themselves, with something as simple as a CV. Help up-skill somebody with potential. The list is endless can can – “Lead SA” – 27 hours of your otherwise rather selfish hectic life. Demonstrate to the previously disadvantaged that we are not all inherently racist; that we are more than willing to part with our knowledge and expertise for free, for the common good of all South Africans. A truly “Ubuntu” approach. This will promote the trust so desperately needed to create a more non-racial society.
Help to implementing change, the change the DA can’t initiate alone. The only alternative is to face the rude reality that as the jobless grows so will the radical left. The EFF should be the wake-up call we all needed. Nothing will change, unless we do something about it. Actually it is so very basic but we still do not get it.
Civil society working together, to realise Madiba’s legacy of a truly “Rainbow Nation”.
I therefore once again plead to Roodepoort record readers: stop complaining and join me in the fight against this paralysing apathy that is busy ripping our beautiful country apart. Email me at pa.davedewes@gmail.com and let’s do something. Anything, before God forbid, “Juliaaas” becomes President.
