Why is our society so unruly?
Why is it that we continue to ignore the wrongs which happen around us every day? Even the little things which we either pass by or normalise. This makes me believe even more that we will never defeat lawlessness in this country.
I am led to believe that most ordinary South Africans think that rape, murder and robberies are the only crimes because every day we see people breaking a range of laws without so much as blinking an eyelid.
It’s so crazy because these wrongdoings are deemed as “little” things.
Some people have resorted to simply laughing them off, or ignoring them, because we know it will never change.
In a just a day or even in a week, one experiences several encounters indicating high levels of lawlessness and zero accountability.
I found myself the other day stopped at a red robot... yet the bizarre thing was how four cars decided to pass right by me despite the red light. I know I am not the only one who experiences such craziness, but it is absurd how these acts just never stop.
Instead, they continue to worsen.
If it is not this, then it’s someone who decides to reverse on the freeway because they have missed an off-ramp.
Sometimes it’s people who decide to drive on pavements where pedestrians walk because what is more important to them is getting to where they are going – not the life and safety of that person they could endanger.
Another thing that ticks me off – and is also traumatising – is the level of unconcern from the “other gender” to just urinate in public. This is a sick thing which has been so normalised in society and regarded as “call of nature”. But I believe it does not make sense because, surely, there are other means?
Is this happening because people simply lack discipline and respect?
We have also become so accustomed to taxi drivers having “authority” over so many things in this country.
The utter ridiculousness where ordinary citizens fall prey to their squabbles and infighting continues to be a massive problem, with no measures or solutions.
The fact that people miss out on work, school, or other important errands like visiting the doctor because taxi drivers decide that there will be no means of transportation for commuters because of their own unresolved issues – is simply wild.
Yet nothing is being done about this. They still continue to move and act like they are above the law at the expense of citizens, the very people who bring bread to their table.
We have also seen videos of people attempting to take money from wrecked vehicles during cash-in-transit heists. People expose themselves to danger and then provide excuses such as high levels of poverty and unemployment being the reason for doing these scary things.
It’s just something that continues to happen every single day of our lives and I just wonder when it will ever stop.
A political analyst, Phumlani Majozi, once said that, in many developing countries around the world, crime and acts of lawlessness were never tolerated. Where it takes place, it was punished severely.
Majozi said the big question was: “Why do we not have the efficient and effective justice system that punishes crime in the country?
“This question can only be answered by South Africans.”
I agree with Majozi.
We live in a system and society where many things are not taken seriously, are brushed off and ignored. We tend to overlook real issues which we regard as insignificant because we have accepted that there is no control over them.
We are simply stuck in a maze of normalised lawlessness with no way out.