An Open Letter Government

South Africa is a country that is full of potential and promise. We are one of the few countries in the world who have had a fairy-tale ending after having a tumultuous past filled with racial oppression at the hands of an insecure minority… After the National Party led government depilated and the dawn of democracy emerged under the once banned African National Congress, a new dawn had risen for a country once condemned by the international community. Oppression was exchanged for reconciliation, racial segregation was replaced by integration and the apartheid government was decapitated by installing a new democratic government. Nelson Mandela a man once imprisoned for treason for 27 years by the minority government was propelled into the highest office of the land as a beacon of hope and champion of human rights for all. A perspicacious Mandela opted for unity and reconciliation to build a better tomorrow for South Africa rather than seek vengeance on those who had wrongly convicted him and his fellow struggle counterparts. This astonished the world and turned further cemented Mandela as a man of peace and nation building. That was 18 years ago and 13 years since the country’s most famous citizen was president of the republic. Now this seems like a story out of a story book. Make no mistake, we are a country that has a lot to offer but has been over shadowed by corruption, service delivery protests, failing education system and recently a wage strike that turned deadly now known as the Lonmin Massacre. The ANC led government has been fiercely criticised for its lack of action against those who are corrupt and financially mismanaging taxpayer’s money. Government seems to be less concerned about obliterating the rampant corrupt officials it has its midst. The latest scandal involving a multi-billion rand Social Development department deal which a judge denounced as illegal but not corrupt. Social Development minister Rethabile Dlamini focused more on the NOT corrupt but and said the contract would stand despite it being illegal. The Northern Cape, Gauteng, Free State and Western Cape have all been plagued with service delivery protests, some turning violent and deadly. After 18 years that South Africans first voted for a better future, these people are still fighting for basic necessities such as decent housing, water, sanitation, roads and functional lavatories. Instead of fast tracking delivery the government is involved into bitter spats with the opposition and shifting blame to the apartheid government. The state of the country’s education system is what many pundits have described as a ticking time bomb. Nobel Laurent Nadine Gordimer, academics Mampele Rampele and Professor Jonathan Jansen have all fiercely criticised the government for the state that education is in. in some instances some learners leave high school without being able to count, read and without the possibility of succeeding in a tertiary institution. The latest in involved the Limpopo province’s department failure to deliver textbooks to students half in the school year. Instead of taking charge of the situation Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga was more concerned about saving her political career when calls for her to be sacked grower louder. Wage disputes are known to get out of hand but the situation at the Marikana Lonmin Platinum turned into a deadly onslaught for the striking miners. Demanding that their wages be increased up from R4000 to R12 500 for drill operators, the illegally instigated strike reached disaster that shocked the country and the international community. After the alleged murder of two police officers at the hands of the striking workers, this unlocked a chain of events that the country is still dealing with its ramifications. Following the growing rage of the miners, police were called in to control the situation. Armed with knob-keries and machetes the miners refused to backed down and tensions cumulated to a point that police with semi-automatic weapons opened fire on the workers killing 34 of them in the process. National commissioner Rhia Piyerha described the onslaught as necessary as police were simply defending themselves. These events have sparked a much needed debate about the direction that the country is currently taking. With some feeling that the government has lost sight of what is truly important. After all President Jacob Zuma was the one who said “the ANC would be in power until Jesus comes.” Maybe this stagnant behaviour that Zuma and his administration have adopted is because they are comfortable and know no matter how much they screw up, they will still be kept in power by the voters. If only the ruling party was as vocal about the country’s problems as they were about the President’s penis. Policies which are in place to improve the lives of South Africans are set aside in favour of frivolous issues such as political points, party squabbles, crushing rivals and regulating the media. Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu fought for more than the current government is doing. Proverty, unemployment, crime and corruption are some of the conundrums that are currently eviscerating the full potential of our country. When President Zuma and his elected cabinet decide to focus on what is truly important, that will be the first signs of true leadership. South Africans deserve more than their current government is offering them. No one is disputing that apartheid set us back but reminiscing about the past will not create a better future. We need leaders who are prepared to act on corruption, implement policies that grow the economy, create jobs, take responsibility when they are wrong and be less consider about the second term will some people are dying of poverty and youth that is despondent because of lack of jobs. That dear government is your job,that is why you are in power.