Violent strikes are so unnecessary

This letter follows the recent vandalism caused by the violent protest in Embalenhle near Secunda in Mpumalanga. The constitution of the country provides for protests and those protests should be peaceful.

While everyone has the right to protest when they feel unhappy with certain conditions and situations, I personally don’t condone protests without having exhausted any other possible means to resolve issues and conflicts.

The reason for my feeling on this is not because of my being a coward but it is because most protests turn out to be violent.

Many people are left injured while some even lose their lives. Sometimes the casualties are the innocent ones who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

People don’t deserve to die just because they’re deemed to be in the midst of an avoidable protest.

I say it is avoidable because if people sit around the table and find amicable solutions, I believe there would be no strikes.

If the would-be protesters or the concerned groups would raise reasonable concerns and companies or leadership of any institutions would give reasonable responses, we would see fewer strikes.

Not only do people get injured or die during the protests, buildings and infrastructure gets demolished and vandalised.

Some groups use these times to commit criminal acts. They loot shops to satisfy their greedy needs with no thought about what they are doing.

For the sake of peace, I urge people to come together and resolve issues peacefully without any blood being spilt. Godfrey Malibe

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