EDITOR – I'm writing this letter to President Jacob Zuma in light of xenophobia in Durban.
Dear Mr President,
It is with much sadness – not hatred, not anger, just devastated heart brokenness that I take pen to paper.
As a 50+ white South African woman, who loves this country beyond comprehension, I, this morning weep for this beloved country.
I have experienced the control of an old regime. I have experienced the bomb blasts, the sanctions and the riots and uprising of 1976.
I wept with my domestic upon hearing of the death of Chris Hani. I rejoiced as I watched Madiba walk free. I had hope. I knew it would not be easy, but I had hope. Hope that my son would grow up in a country where people could be free in choice of relationships. Free to live where they wanted. Free to be employed based on their qualifications not colour of skin. As I watched many of my fellow citizens pack their bags and leave, I chose to stay.
Slowly my hope is fading as I have seen more hatred, more greed, more envy and more racism than ever before. I see our country being ravished by crippling strikes. I see people hungry and homeless. Children, our future, starving. I see ungrateful students, totally oblivious of the privilege they have to be studying, more focussed on tearing down the past than building a future. I see a growing sense of entitlement amongst people rather than an attitude of gratitude. I see our leaders setting an example of corruption and bribery. I see lawlessness in place of law abiding and accountability. I see crime on the increase. I see our leaders entertain dictators instead of entertaining wisdom.
I see, with tears, as my beloved Durban is burning! People totally out of control, possessed by a spirit of destruction, murder and plain simple evil. I see that people forget that in the darkest times of our history, it was these neighbouring countries that gave refuge to the people that fought for the freedom of South Africa.
A good leader, leads by being in the forefront of the battle. A good leader rebukes wayward followers. Instead, I see our leadership silent on all accounts. This is what I see. Yes, I still have hope, not in the leadership, but in God and Him alone.
Mr President, I ask you this morning, what do you see?
Theresa Watermeyer
Durban
