Lessons must be learnt

THE EMERGENCE of protests aimed at raising awareness of the lack of service delivery in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal highlights the deep unhappiness among South Africans over unfulfilled promises.

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe has spoken out about the futility of protests, saying that the burning, rock throwing and clashes with the police often do not result in anything tangible for those communities.

This is not entirely true. Those protesting in Alexandra have seen Gauteng Premier David Makhura and President Cyril Ramaphosa give them their undivided attention.

Mayor Herman Mashaba has yet to do this but has promised to prioritise the community’s concerns. This is election season and attracting attention that will result in service delivery will be a form of victory to these communities.

Service delivery protests increase before provincial and national elections because they attract attention to neglect that has taken place since the previous elections. For political parties contesting next month’s elections, valuable lessons must be taken out of the protests that have erupted in the country over the past few weeks.

Infrastructure development, education and health are some of the crucial issues that must be addressed on a day-to-day basis – and not in the weeks leading up to an election. These are the core issues that have an impact on the lives of the ordinary voter.