As a society that collectively suffers under the curse of crime, urgent and real solutions are required.
Sadly the buck stops with national government who manages the police and judicial system. With rising crime, the impression is that government is soft on crime. Ending the death penalty, regular release of criminals and the inability to prosecute serious crimes are examples of unwise actions.
Recently 3 men stole R17 million from a South African secret service agency. A national manhunt was initiated and when the men were caught they were instantly released on bail of about R5000 each. After the drama of a manhunt, what are ordinary South Africans to think of the bail granting?
To blame everyday crime on Apartheid is unhelpful as the blame game cannot solve problems that require wise direct action. National government has ample billions in taxpayer’s funds to stop crime.
What is painful too those who support national government are that we know our leaders disregard victims of crime? Thus regular political party members must study the way they elect leaders who are unable to create genuine change and not just replace comrades with others that also add no value.
Only when voters elect leaders with skills, ability and sincerity will our collective well-being as a nation improve? This is evident when measured against the vast number of municipalities, departments and parastatals that are unable to achieve clean audits, some for decades. The billions wasted on useless expenditure which include talk shops, could easily have been used in townships to ensure services.
When leaders do not listen wisely to the needs of all the people, they undermine social cohesion. Example ANC leaders in Cape Town insists on marginalizing the middle and upper class and helping the DA by stating that they will build RDP houses in Constantia and so on. The local ANC enjoy attacking people who they regard as better off, even when the people worked hard for their properties.
They are unable to accept that it is the upper and middle class that subsidise the poor by paying more rates and taxes. Should RDP homes be built in Constantia, will the poor pay equitable rates as their neighbours? If so, can they be measured poor, if not, are they not doing the bulk of poor a disservice?
Recent media reports suggest that “Tenants of the city council’s almost 40 000 houses and flats, collectively owe the municipality R596 million. Also only 17000 people, who rent property from the council, paid their rent in December”. In Khayelitsha and Nyanga the collection rate is less than 10%.
Using these actual figures, should RDP houses be built in Constantia and they pay at the rate of 10%, much less revenue will be collected, thus less money for housing for other poor people. Is this logical?
In the words of the wise, mature thoughts before speaking is required at leadership level.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress