One of the trruks that was torched by arsonists on teh N3 Toll road. Photo: Supplied
As a growing country, no matter the slowness in development, possibly even a regression, we must be mindful that South Africa is no island.
Somehow from the ashes of a scorched earth, we managed to rebuild and reclaim our identity as a people, a country and as Africans rebuilding an African country – or so we thought.
But every time the country has a xenophobic flare up, our government goes through great pains to convince not only South Africans, but the world, that these are not acts of hatred for foreigners. The government labels them as acts of criminality.
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We cannot remedy what we would allow to go undiagnosed.
I’ve never understood how our government officials can travel to these countries, sign agreements, and talk so emotionally about our extended familial relationships, that these are our brothers and sisters, yet under their watch, the negativity that exists is the question of SA workers versus the employment of immigrants.
When the political climate allows, we are a welcoming committee to those who come knocking into our country – when the tide turns for political points, the very same government refuses to take any strain under the burden of illegal immigrants.
The latter being an obviously true sentiment and reality – the economy is under strain, but the timing of the government’s admission is nothing short of dubious.
WATCH: Another four trucks torched in Mpumalanga
Under the strain of this economy, the torching of trucks that are of economic importance, in an effort to send a message that the trucking industry is porous to foreigners, thus throttling the allowance of South Africans to work, is ridiculous.
It is not the first time this happens, will it be the last? We do not know. Is it something that should continue? Absolutely not, but as we know and understand the reactionary form of our leadership, is this bound to happen? Most probably.
What do we do, how do we address this? Does the government have a plan? Most probably not.
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The fires keep burning, the economy suffers, the safety of goods transported goes up in smoke, yet the problem and the underlying issues remain. Something has to give.