South Africa - How the Heck did We get to This?

So what did we expect?  How long can anarchy carry on without someone taking some action – dare I say, before someone shows some “leadership”?  I’m talking about the tragic situation at Lonmin mines where a number of people, including miners, security guards and policemen, have died over the past week.

And now there is a clamour for an independent enquiry – and the inevitable, predictable Julius Malema is jumping onto the bandwagon.  But will we get to the real truth?  Will we be asking the right questions?

For me the key question is “How did we get here?”  How the heck did we get to this situation?  It is not of concern to me as to which side fired the first shot.  That is an end result, not a cause.  We need to understand the cause.

In my opinion the real “cause” of this situation – and many other similar situations that are occurring daily somewhere in South Africa today – is total and complete lack of Leadership.  In the case of Lonmin, it is lack of Leadership on the part of Lonmin management, making unilateral decisions that impact so many people.  Surely there was an opportunity for compromise at some stage on the journey?  But that would have needed Leadership!

Then, it is lack of Leadership on the part of Union Management – BOTH unions concerned!  Surely it is the responsibility of union management to ensure that protests do not become violent!  Surely it is the responsibility of union management to guide and “lead” their members in a responsible manner!  And surely there was a time in the Lonmin situation, were union management could have prevented the anarchy.  Or maybe this was their strategy!

And finally, it is a lack of Leadership in Government.  Zuma rode to the presidency on the back of anarchy at Polokwane.  Have we forgotten the violent protests outside of the courts when he was to appear on corruption (and other) charges?  Have we forgotten the out-of-control scenes of Polokwane when ANC leaders at the time were appealing for calm and order?  Have we forgotten Malema’s “kill for Zuma” speech? Have we forgotten Malema’s “we put you there we’ll take you out” speech?  What we have experienced since Polokwane is increasing and more violent Anarchy!

And it’s time that someone took Leadership and said “so far and no further”.  It could not have been an easy decision for SAPS leadership to give the order for “maximum force”.  It could not have been easy for members of one union (Popcru) to open fire on members of another union.  It could not have been easy for police men and women to fire on other men and women – fellow citizens of this country.  When this happens you KNOW the consequences, and I’m not talking about public outcry and independent enquiries.  I mean you know that people are going to die.  That is just not an easy decision for anyone to take.  But having watched their colleagues being hacked to death earlier – what would your choice have been?

What is so sad is that this became virtually the only decision that could be made after a week of increasing violence and death – the merciless hacking to death of people whose only responsibility it was to protect lives.  SAPS leadership were left with no other choice – Leadership in all other areas, organisational, union and political, let them down!

I for one, give my thanks to SAPS.  Thanks for having the guts to do what no-one else had the guts to do.  And I’m so sorry that you were forced into taking this action.  And even more sorry that you are now taking flack because of it.

It is time for all of us to draw the line on anarchy in South Africa.  We need to stop this anarchistic behaviour that has been so prevalent - and growing - in all protest situations throughout our country.

The so-called “leaders” of this anarchy (and I include Malema) need to know that destroying property is NOT OK, threatening the lives of people, whether innocent bystanders or not, is NOT OK, threatening to take down a legal government by force (that is what “rendering ungovernable” is about) is NOT OK, and hacking and killing security guards and members of the police force is just NOT OK!!!!

If this situation draws a line in the sand that says “so far and no farther”, then those people did not lose their lives in vain.  We learned the lesson.  If, however, those in Leadership positions throughout South Africa remain ambivalent to this behaviour, then sadly we will sink still further, and more and more of these tragic situations will occur.  So ... what is it going to be?  The choice is ours in the next election.  Let's ensure that the people that we vote for are, in fact, "Leaders", in the real sense of the term.