In his book “Why States recover” Greg Mills pens in his tributes that “Writing about the reasons for failure always risks becoming a target. People do not want to and rarely like hearing about the personal roots of their difficulties, preferring to externalise them and make them some-one else’s fault.
The systemic message from the Department: Justice and Constitutional Development inform fathers to pay maintenance. Maintenance is the obligation to provide, for example a minor with housing, food, clothing, education and medical care. That maintenance can be claimed from grandparents is a progressive step as this will somewhat guarantee that parents teach their progeny manners.
The growing narrative suggests that there are many individuals who are unwilling to accept that they must sustain their children. While I am not against grants, stricter conditions must be applied as the high and increasing rate of teen and unintended pregnancies must be stopped. That taxpayer’s reward the sensual activities of emotive but ignorant individuals with free money must stop.
The following four examples should clarify.
Since the morality of others is not my primary concern, society must examine realistic strategies how taxpayers can be protected from another endless expense. For example, those who access grants are eligible until they are 18years. With free education, health care and housing, free water and free electricity, including municipal debt write-offs and indigent grants from all levels of government, one woman with three children costs the taxpayers millions over a period of 18years.
Secondly, some time ago I was privy to a school meeting where many learners failed because they were troubled by their parents’ divorce. This case validates how an individual’s emotion has direct financial consequences for other people. Since a few learners were traumatised the broader class suffered as the learners often acted-out. Ironically the classroom is often considered a safe space in contrast with the home milieu. With an average class size of 35 learners, very few teachers can cope with a full teaching load, emotionally needy children and the upkeep of overall discipline. As a result the school has limited options as the needs of the wider school community must be secured ahead of individual issues. While a fee paying school can afford to hire a social worker, this will increase the fees of all students the next year. Is this needless financial burden fair on the bulk of other parents?
Since divorce statistics in South Africa hovers around 50%, this phenomenon is replicated across the country on a massive scale. How must poor communities cope where schools cannot afford social workers? Since the National Department of Education has huge infrastructure backlogs, do rural school communities sacrifice access to toilets or request a departmental social worker?
Experience suggests that those engaged in divorce has limited concern for taxpayer as their focus is on their private emotional needs. How then, do we engender a stable society when 50% of families, is seemingly at war with itself? The argument is that the activity of any given individual sooner or later has an impact on the social order as a whole. As a society, how should we manage such issues realistically and not respond with political correctness or ethical disputes that have no real outcomes.
Thirdly, in Cape Town there are thousands of drug and alcohol addicts that waste billions in rate and taxpayers revenue via free housing, health care etc. This excludes the cost of their criminal activities. Addiction is increasing and seems overpowering as profits from narcotics are worth the material risk. Our desperately considerate system of justice, the ineptness of the lowly paid law enforcement and infantile political strive will unfortunatly ensure that drug addiction will remind a problem for decades.
In a media release on 9 October, Mayoral Committee Member for Health, Cllr Benedicta Van Minnen said “We cannot deny that there is a strong link between substance abuse and mental health issues and, while we don’t have statistics on the number of “dual diagnosis” cases, we have noticed high rates of mental health issues with substance abusers as well as high rates of substance abuse with mental health clients. Traditionally, substance abuse and mental health services have been fragmented – but because the City’s treatment sites are based in clinics, many of which have doctors and mental health nurses, it has allowed the provision of an integrated service where the client can be treated for both issues. The treatment sites screened 1 621 clients last year. Many addicts suffer from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and the costs into the future are infinite. Clinics are filled with unplanned pregnancies that create infinite liability to the taxpayer as most remain state dependant. These outcomes prove that billions spent on contraceptives and preventative programs have failed.
To prevent spiralling costs and to create a sustainable society requires action.
To moderate unplanned pregnancies, those who receive free housing or welfare etc. must submit to sterilization as a social service to taxpayers. Those who impregnate teens and are unable to support them should also be sterilized. Criminals, who are guilty of serious crimes such as murder and rape, must be sterilized in lieu of their free lodging, food and clothes.
By governing the movement and activities of those who threaten the sustainability of society, we can compel them to accept the support that the City of Cape Town has to offer. Locals would feel safer at home and at work when they know that ruffians are not able to throw bricks willy-nilly.
In the words of the wise, almost everything in life is a result of human intellect; if we improve the way we think, we progress. Our shared social sustainability cannot be dependent on the emotive needs of a minority. Communities who do not learn from history and reality will eventually become its victim.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress