Arrogant leaders not listening

VIOLENCE has become part of our culture as South Africans. When we protest, we destroy and burn things such as public buildings and infrastructure. We have no problem – and see nothing wrong – in burning schools and libraries. Yet we expect our children to get a quality education.

It’s unfortunate that the masses don’t have a sense of ownership towards public buildings and infrastructure. They view them as government property. They don’t seem to realise that it’s the taxpayer’s money (their money) that is used to build them.

Violence was used during the apartheid era to fight the cruel and evil system. It was justifiable then. We were fighting an undemocratic government that treated the majority of the people of this country as sub-human. The apartheid regime killed and injured black people without provocation. But we now live in a democracy.

Unfortunately, when communities complain, our leaders don’t listen. That’s arrogance. It’s only when the masses embark on violent protests that they hear.

Now the masses have realised that the language best understood by our leaders is violence. So to get their attention, they burn and destroy things.

Our leaders need to change their attitude and realise that they are there to serve, not to be served. They need to be humble and responsive. Otherwise, violent protests will be with us for a long time. And they (leaders) should shoulder the blame for that.