As I am writing this editor’s note, I am feeling very concerned with what is going on in our country at the moment.
It feels to me that, with the arrival of Covid-19, and everything going with it, that everything else in our beautiful country has gone pear-shaped. It is as if everyone has lost the ability to think clearly, there is no logic to anything and commonsense has flown out of the door.
As social media is a huge part of my day to day activities, I could not help but notice a few strange things. It seems to me that the definition of what a crime or criminal act is, has changed quite a bit in the last four months.
These days, it does seem that if you smoke or enjoy a drink or two, you are a hardened criminal, as the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele has openly declared war on everyone who is in possession of a packet of cigarettes or even some alcohol (even though the latter has been unbanned in terms of the current lockdown regulations).
The vigour displayed by our law enforcement to clamp down on these illegal activities poses the question, “Is this the worst crimes in South Africa currently?”
It makes me angry when I read about the rise in various crimes – house robberies, farm attacks, hijackings, kidnappings, murder, rape, gender-based violence, reaching an all time high, and so much more. What makes me even angrier is that all these crimes, and that the incidences are increasing, are being blamed on alcohol consumption.
I honestly believe it is because the powers that be are focusing and concentrating on the wrong areas and on the wrong things. I feel that for them it is much more important to say they have arrested people with illicit cigarettes in their possession, or someone who is breaking lockdown regulations by driving without a permit, and, heaven help you if you are caught outside without wearing a mask!
These days it is nothing new to see a police vehicle patrolling the area, with the driver reminding residents (most of them law-abiding citizens) over the public address system of all the lockdown regulations, as well as telling them they will be arrested should they fail to wear their mask outside their homes.
Meanwhile, the same police members fail to notice the drug deal going on right beside them, innocent victims being robbed of their belongings or even the thugs fleeing the scene of the crime they have just committed.
I do however, have to mention that I am not trying to put the police members in a bad light, as I believe some are working very hard but, in my honest opinion, I believe that they are being misguided by the instructions from higher up, and that these instructions are aimed at the wrong things and the wrong people.
Until next week, stay healthy and keep each other safe …
