Watch out for the Grinch this festive season
Walk the Line - an editor's perspective on all things newsworthy
Once upon a time, the author Dr Seuss introduced the Grinch to children.
This strange character captured the imagination of many lovers of a good story when Hollywood brought him to life in a computer-animated Christmas comedy film.
The plot was simple: in the town of Whoville, human-like creatures called Whos are filled with excitement about celebrating Christmas.
The only one who isn’t amused is a cantankerous, green-furred creature called the Grinch, who has a heart “two sizes too small” and lives in a cave at the peak of Mount Crumpit. So the Grinch makes every effort to spoil Christmas through his wicked plots and schemes.
Now, here in Mzansiville, where we often wonder who we are among all the cultures and tribes (especially since it seems most of the white people are still classed as devious Europeans clinging on to land), we often find the Grinch in many forms and shapes lurking in every shady corner.
Let us also not become too politically sensitive or correct; after all, the Grinch is green, so we are dealing here not with colour but with wickedness and plots to destroy our Christmas spirit.
There are indeed strange things afoot on Mount Crumpit, better known as our Parliament, to steal our joy and hope, while there are many in this land whose heart is simply “two sizes too small”, considering their lack of respect for festive-season cheer.
I am talking about how Eskom still cannot get things right, plunging Mzansiville into darkness and is, apparently, in a potential “death spiral”. This might continue right throughout the Christmas season.
So brace yourself – while you sing Jingle Bells and tear open presents, the lights that dangle around the Christmas tree might just be snuffed out due to the Grinch called load shedding.
When this happens, the children might panic, cry or scream (which is generally Mzansiville’s state of mind), for indeed the Grinch has struck again. But what can you do but blame Eskom and the lack of coal?
After all, this is what we do best in this land of Whos, where we keep passing the buck and playing the blame game, which is but lame.
This is also the sordid tale of the state capture commission, where everyone is being blamed, yet it seems no one wants to be held accountable for enslaving Mzansiville’s well-being.
By the way, while we all bemoan Eskom, let us also consider that many people do not even have electricity to begin with. They even resort – are forced, I believe, most of the time – to illegal means just to have some light cast onto the darkened state of our moral disposition.
So the Grinch strikes again, for the government keeps failing to provide basic service delivery to its frustrated people, and I’m talking about those living in informal settlements right here in Boksburg.
Then we find the men in the red berets, who want to steal the Christmas spirit from Vodacom by plundering stores for what reason no one really knows.
Again, no one claims responsibility for such looting, and sadly, as when the H&M store was plundered at the East Rand Mall, don’t hold your breath that anyone will be brought to book.
This is the same scenario for all those who participated in the strike action in Jet Park, burning vehicles and injuring people.
Yes, the Grinch has struck again, and so it seems our democracy has given him a free pass to plunder, wreck, destroy, loot and steal, just like grace has become a free pass for many in religion to act like barbarians.
Sadly, the Grinch also struck the concert at the Global Citizen Festival. Gangs of thugs attacked revellers, turning an event that focused on the plight of humanity into a horrific ordeal. How ironic.
Of course, no one wanted to take the blame for the Grinch’s reign of terror – not the police, the stadium security or the organisers. Just like no one wants to apologise for capturing our state.
At least the petrol price has dropped, adding a bit of festive cheer, but don’t go overboard with the eggnog, because fuel costs are still way too high and the police are on the prowl for the Grinch on the road who is a menace and a danger to all.
A chorus of approval and joy has at least rung out over the appointment of Shamila Batohi as the new NPA boss. Batohi will be tackling the green-furred creature’s dastardly deeds, including the Guptas.
So yes, rejoice, for not all is lost, even though it is wise to keep an eye on your treasures to keep them out of the greedy hands of those who want to cash in on Christmas cheer the not-so-goodwill way.
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