South Africans are dealing with way too many emotions, be it fear, dread, anger, bitterness or hate, all mixed in with a dash of excitement. It is not good for your health.
We just dealt with Women’s Month, and the reality is that women still do not feel safe and are not being treated fairly or with respect.
And while we are still dealing with the sobering reality of society’s failure to protect women, we are plunging headlong into deepening levels of lawlessness.
The Star Trek franchise’s motto is “to boldly go where no man has gone before”.
South Africans are also experiencing their own morbid Star Trek moment as we are going where no man wants to go, for we are slipping deeper into a dark place of chaos and anarchy. And it is cold. And rather uncomfortable.
Now more than ever, law and order is failing, like our economy, with the courts the last bastion of any sort of sanity.
Violence has become the norm, and here in our tainted Rainbow Nation all the joy that comes with spring has already jumped out the window, screaming in agony on the way to the farthest hills.
There have of late been many nasty moments that shocked South Africans.
First it was the kidnapping of Amy-Leigh de Jager at a Vanderbijlpark school. The six-year-old was snatched by a gang of men at a drop-off point, only to be dropped off again a day later.
This reminded us that child abductions are real, as is human trafficking. Yes, we live in a country where children and women are still preyed upon by the depraved and the cruel. Shame on us.
In the midst of all our challenges to survive, as we keep an eye out for hijackers and opportunistic criminals, now we also have to look out for depraved thugs and human traffickers. Never mind the child molesters prowling about as well.
On top of this, the Gauteng MEC for social development, Thuliswa Khawe, has raised concerns about the number of cases of abandoned children in Ekurhuleni.
Her concerns come after the body of a newborn baby was found wrapped in a skirt near a stream in Roodekop informal settlement in Germiston.
This incident comes almost a month after the body of a baby girl was found in Edenvale.
“The prevalence of these types of crimes committed against children is shocking. It is saddening because it cannot be justified,” said Khawe.
Welcome to the cold, dark place of our own living hell. This is South Africa’s story – 50 shades of darkness.
To top it all, Gauteng was dumped into wide spread chaos as apparent xenophobia flared up. Shops were looted, vehicles were torched and many people were left running for their lives.
An expert slated the government for its slow response to the violent protests and looting that targeted foreign nationals in different parts of Gauteng, as well as for its lack of proactive thinking.
Another blamed politicians for fuelling xenophobia with their statements about foreign nationals.
Xenophobia is the Frankenstein’s monster created by the government. Take your pick of who is Igor, who throws the switch.
After all, there is no border control, and those who are streaming in are hardly documented. Many South Africans who are trying to make a living are simply tired of it.
The protests come in the wake of weeks of tension between authorities and foreign nationals, following widespread efforts to shut down illegally operated businesses.
Protesters claimed to be operating in solidarity with those accused of attacking immigrant truck drivers.
In the midst of all the screams and terror, the term ‘African Renaissance’ popped up again.
This is the concept that African people and nations shall overcome the current challenges confronting the continent and achieve cultural, scientific and economic renewal. The concept was popularised by former president Thabo Mbeki during his term of office.
Such a renaissance looks about as real at the moment as Bafana Bafana winning the next Soccer World Cup.
And what about the brief moment of excitement I mentioned? The Rugby World Cup is almost upon us, while the Ndlovu Youth Choir is doing a great job on America’s Got Talent, so cheer up for a second, .
