We are building a culture of violence

The brutal murder of Karabo Mokoena, pictured, has shocked South Africa. We are enmeshed in a culture of death which involves killing spouses, raping women and children, burning vehicles, torching public property and injuring innocent human beings.

These savages have created a wound in our society and the infection continues to weaken us.

With each breaking news report of brutal murders, we are again jolted and dismayed. Certainly all South Africans who lost their loved ones under brutal circumstances deserve our heartfelt compassion.

Human life is sacred. Whoever takes it wantonly strikes out against not just his victim, but against the moral foundation of society. Murderers send out destructive waves and their ampli- tude can never be attenuated if the crime is left unpunished, or punished inadequately.

The culture of death in our rainbow nation embodies consummate evil.

Recently the nation became transfixed when xenophobia engulfed the country like a toxic plague. The enormous damage done cannot be reversed.

Apathy, complacency and acquiescence become the response. We have, by our silence, invited the spirit of death into our country and our homes.

We view ghastly murders and violent crime as cruel statistics. Whenever and wherever it occurs, we suffer another loss from that little which sustains us and holds us together.

The loss of innocent human life continues to mount as we stare into the abyss. Farouk Araie

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