Letter: Always two sides

Anthony Kruger of Ballito writes:

Standing in the queue hoping to get provisions on the third day of the closure of Ballito, I wondered if in locking out members of the community living across the N2 and so preventing their access to food supplies, there will be any “unintended consequences” from this exclusion.

How will the physical dividing line at the bridges, manned by fellow Ballito residents, be seen and understood/interpreted by these other Ballito residents who are locked out of the town centre?

Residents who have no ill intentions and whose food reserves are fast running out, because so many live from hand to mouth.

Of course, I can’t pretend to know, but would they reflect feelings of desperation, frustration, resentment, anger, hatred?

I then wondered what the answers to these questions might be by those who live this side of the N2 and find themselves locked in.

I also can’t be sure what all locked ins are thinking, but many on the sea side of the bridges may also be experiencing similar types of feelings, and may be saying that criminality must be combatted, and self defence is legitimate.

Of course, but at any cost?

Surely a point in time comes when any cost is too high a price to pay.

Is that point being reached when one part of the community shuts another part out?

The thing though is, whatever one’s perspective on the situation, there is always right in the views of all ‘sides’!

Problem is, too many on either ‘side’ are not able, or worse still, not willing to ‘see’ across to the other.

We can’t ignore the deep-rooted issue of race, and because most people on the one side of the N2 are black and most on the other are white, there may well be an upsurge in animosity in the aftermath of this period of lock out/lock in, whether openly displayed or not.

So, a great deal of reflection, empathy and maturity will need to be on display by all.