Rights and wrongs

IN RECENT years we have faced many protests here in South Africa. Some of them have left a bad impact on property. During them cases of arson, assault, damage to property and public violence have happened.

This is the same for communities and universities. In my mind I have the recent torching of buildings at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Whether the same people who start the protests are the ones who end up vandalising the property which does not belong to them is left for each case.

Unfortunately such occurrences during protests continue to happen. This should worry us about the awareness that people have of the Gathering Act. This is a constitutional law that tells us about everyone’s right to protest. It also sets boundaries on how people can engage in protests.

I sympathise with the anger that each group perhaps has during these protests of not being heard by the authorities.

This may be one of the reasons some decide to use all means to be heard. I also call on the authorities in such engagements to try all means to prevent protests reaching that level.

Nevertheless, there is no reason to break the law to be heard. Vandalising a property or structure is wrong and a crime, whatever the case might be.

The Gathering Act also stands against any response that may in any way lead to the damage of structures and properties.

My appeal is that as South Africans we need to educate ourselves about this constitutional right to protest. That will help us to understand our responsibility in protests and to limit further cases of damage to structures and properties. Nkosi Mlambo Muizenberg