Right to strike, wrong to destroy
IT IS right to strike but wrong to destroy property.
The people of Itsoseng in North West to date do not have a shopping mall.
The one they had was looted and burnt down in 1994 during protests against Lucas Mangope’s Bophuthatswana government. The nearest place for them to shop is either Mahikeng or Lichtenburg. It is approximately R40 by taxi to get to either town.
Not long ago, more than 20 schools in Vuwani were vandalised and torched by protesters. It is a serious setback to the education system in the area and robs our children of their futures. It is pathetic when one thinks of the costs that will be incurred to repair those schools. This may send a message that there are those who do not care about the education of our children.
Today, residents in some areas of Tshwane, for example in GaRankuwa and Atteridgeville, are forced to walk and drive long distances for shopping because protesters have looted and torched the local shops as a sign of their anger towards Thoko Didiza for being the ANC’s Tshwane mayoral candidate.
This propensity to destroy infrastructure is wrong, regardless of public anger. People should learn to employ civil ways of addressing their problems and challenges rather than protesting violently.
Our economy has also been hit hard by violent political unrest.
Diepsloot mall in Gauteng was also destroyed in recent protests. Although it is people’s constitutional right to strike, that right should not lead to the destruction of infrastructure or worse, the killing of innocent people.
Those in government must listen to the concerns of the governed. As a matter of fact, people are not supposed to protest to get better services. This proves that something is wrong with those ruling us. Service delivery must be the first priority in the government’s programme of creating a better life for all. Rev Maudu Morudu Temba, Hammanskraal