The Cape Argus on Friday the 24th of January was thought-provoking for a number of reasons. The article by Sipokazi Fokazi was long overdue and I support the idea that drug addicts and drunkards should pay for their own health care. The warning by SA Medical Association and the Democratic Nursing Organization of SA is redundant as ordinary people are struggling to access dialysis programs amongst other services. Waiting at clinics and hospitals have become part of our public healthcare culture. Why should poor people care about the quality treatment of drug addicts and drunkards who inflict harm upon themselves and others at the financial expense of ratepayers?
Marianne Merten’s article on President Zuma skipping the World Economic Forum and Mazibuko’s critique was interesting for a different reason. Mazibuko’s need to say something in this regard displays a lack of poise and her response to the President’s diary is mediocre. If she wants to dictate the President’s schedule she must apply for a job in his office. She should consider what value the President will have at the forum, since Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan is leading the delegation in any case. Also, does Mazibuko believe that it is more important for the President to go and ingratiate himself with the greedy elite in Europe or end the service delivery protest where citizens are killed?
The article by Kieran Legg that clarified why 5000 less tourists visited Robben Island over the Christmas period was gloomy. That politically motivated interest is considered above common sense and business planning is sad. Those responsible for the Robben Island project should be reminded that flogging a dead horse is futile as this behaviour displays a type of acquired mental retardation.
The letter to the editor “If you help yourself you can achieve so much more” by J Hendricks was well thought out, practical and concise. The notion of smaller families, self-sustainability, use of common sense and seeking a genuine value based education is what our society requires. We also need people with practical and tangible skills and this is not always available at university. Most students after graduation realize that a basic degree in reality means little without life skills and so on.
I also believe that a contributing problem remains ignorance and laziness. For example, I recently met a person who had resigned from his job because the hotel that he worked for did not consent to him having a beard. I was intrigued because the man was poor and was referred to me because he was unable to pay his municipal accounts. I was left considering if this person was using his religion to justify his resignation or if he was just lazy and preferred not to work.
To conclude in the words of Martin Luther King Jr. “nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity”- I rest my case.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress