The sheer audacity of the Minister of Safety and Security of South Africa, Mr Charles Nqakula, was the topic of much criticism in the weekend’s press. The honourable gentleman, though some would contend that phrase in this case, made the rather dishonourable statement that those who “whinges”, as he rather insensitively referred to complaints, should shut up or leave the country [1].
The tone of the Minister smacks of those fat cats in ministerial seats, north of the South African borders. His kind has come from nowhere in terms of safety and security suddenly to find himself plush in the cushions of power, with ministerial security and comfy facilities. Quaint how suddenly he seems to be out of touch with the latest police statistics. Speaking to my mother today, she had a tone of some disquiet when she told me that in the past week three elderly persons, mostly women, were killed by burglars in and around the Cape Peninsula. In fact, one was brutally bludgeoned to death with a hammer.
According to the official South African Police website, the following crime statistics were recorded for 2004/2005 [2]:
| Murder | 18,793 |
| Rape | 55,114 |
| Attempted murder | 24,516 |
| Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm | 249,369 |
| Robbery with aggravating circumstances | 126,789 |
| Burglary at residential premises | 276,164 |
The total population of South Africa is about 45 million. It is a constitutional right of South Africans to live in safety and security, hence the portfolio of Safety and Security in the Cabinet. It is not for a minister to take an arrogant stance towards citizens, who pays his salary, when criticised over the state of affairs over which he presides.
The future of South Africa depends upon facing up to the truth of the realities and dealing with these realities, rather than scoffing at well-founded criticism and pretending all is hunky-dory when the truth says differently.
No comments:
Post a Comment