I'm sure many of you may have seen things on the news about the current violence in South Africa. It started in the same region that I live in and it has affected me deeply! Having lived here all my life, I always assumed that somehow, South Africa was different to the other African states. We were a nation of enlightened people, who, through the struggles of appartheid, learned the value of human life and the necessity to treat all as equals. However, the behaviour that we are seeing at the moment in this country leads one to believe otherwise.
It is really terrible. Just last night on the news, I saw footage of gangs of men moving from house to house, sending in one man at each house. My dad then explained that that was how they recruited people. The guy goes in and says, either you join us or you die. I was horrified because I knew that that was often done in countries that are in civil war and it suddenly hit me that we were no different to those countries! We were being just as savage as people during the wars in Rwanda, the Congo....
It has really changed the way that I think about South Africa as a whole, and more importantly, it's people. I'm deeply saddened and disappointed. And at the same time, enraged that people can forget what we, as a nation, stand for! The one nation in the world that has truely undergone a radical transformation from a racist, cruel government to democracy! We were the rainbow nation!
This is why I am joining a protest march on Saturday morning in Braamfontein. It will be starting at 09h00 on Saturday the 24th at Marks Park, near Hillbrow, on Empire road. Please, if you are available, come and join the march! This action should not be allowed and will not be tollerated by South Africans! Join us and show that you too care about the country we live in! Bring placards and signs! No weapons! It'll be my first ever protest march!
2 comments:
I can't believe this is all happening! I'm so glad to be away from the city at the moment!
I love South Africa, and I can't believe this is happening! We got through so much without violence, why did it have to start now?
I've been getting only small glimpses of the situation and was wondering if any of you were being directly affected but being indirectly affected is nearly as bad.
I applaud your desire for action. Realize that while you will be anticipating reason to prevail that anarchy is only overcome by controlled force of law by those employed to do so.
Sadly, rationale is the first thing lost in a mob mentality. It even happens among those on the side of a peaceful demonstration.
The best opportunity to alter a differing perspective is one-on-one between two people willing to come to an agreement and not during a confrontation between factions. So, during the protest, Please, protect yourself to live to contend against inhumanity another day.
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