#Letter: Common decency is not a once-off event

Ballito resident Walter Schotter writes:

It sickens me – and it is glaringly obvious – how many people are treated like common trash by this community.

If you are not someone of high standing in the “Who’s Who” league, you are regarded as insignificant.

The cliques abound, more so if your point of view on an issue goes against the so-called good standing of a contributing community member.

Every single resident is a contributor, no matter their financial standing. Only money talks in this community, nothing else.

After the July unrest, people are just carrying on as normal as if nothing like this could ever happen again.

“Ag, it’s ok, so and so is on patrol so why should I be?”

If every resident gave up 2 hours of their lives, we would most likely only have to patrol once every 2 months to watch out for the community.

But here is my main gripe – recently on a public forum a matter of municipal concern was raised, yet the person who made the comment was berated and removed from the forum (eventually allowed back on, but with the proviso they kept their mouths shut about the subject matter).

The concern involved the Vervet monkey population in the area and the fact that the law was broken, nothing else.

The discharging of a firearm in a built-up area is an offence, cruelty to animals is an offence – simple as that. But once again it seems some laws are applicable to some, but not others.

As far as the monkey issue is concerned, we the human virus, in the name of profit, are continuously encroaching and destroying their natural habitat without any concern for their survival needs.

When they forage they are classified as a scourge and treated cruelly. Why do the authorities not have strict conditions in place for any new developments, such as:

1. A relocation programme for the affected wildlife in the area.
2. The conservation and maintenance of wildlife’s natural food resources within that area?
3. A combination of both 1 and 2. These should be non-negotiable. It was sad to see how a nerve was struck by this person’s comments.

There will always be different opinions on any subject matter, but healthy debate without silencing opposing points of view is important.

Today’s tendency to silence opposing views is extremely worrisome and an indictment of a community’s character.

I know there are exceptions, but sadly it’s only a handful.

It is time to stand together regardless of our different viewpoints.

There is a middle ground in every situation which is to the benefit of humans and animals alike.

Let us respect each other’s opinions and become true model citizens and show the rest, as we did in July, how things can be done with a positive, collective mindset.

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