Some years ago I watched a movie called ‘Dogma’ about two fallen angels which were ejected from paradise (heaven) only to find themselves banned in Wisconsin (USA).
I mention this movie because Bartleby, one of the fallen angels spoke of a choice.
He said: “See, in the beginning, it was just us and Him – angels and God. Then, He created humans. Ours was designed to be a life of servitude and worship and bowing and scraping and adoration. He gave them more than He ever gave us. He gave them a choice. They choose to acknowledge God, or choose to ignore him.”
I found this significant, not only does the idea of having a choice separate us from an instinctual way of living like animals, but also allows us to live how we choose. Which is exactly what is happening in the country currently.
Protesters have ravaged KwaZulu-Natal – and other parts of the country – by looting many businesses, big and small. The common narrative is that they have a choice to carry out such horrible acts. Others might argue that this is a case of the hungry, lower class rising to eat from the table of the elite. Yes, you can put it like that if you wish
The point of departure for all the civil unrest is in response to (as per the Jacobists – Zuma supporters) to their belief in the unlawful arrest of the former president of the republic.
Days later, the narrative has switched to one of the poor rising up to claim back their power through ‘righteous criminal activity’.
To say that populism has not played a factor in the ongoing unrest would be entirely preposterous.
The looting is a result of a populist agenda that has manifested its way into the struggle of the Jacobists.
This is because the individuals who have emerged as leaders amongst the Jacobists have lambasted the ongoing violence and unrest, particularly Duduzane Zuma, the son of the former president.
To prevent myself from digressing any further, I will return to my point of ‘the choice’.
We are where we are because of what started out as the choices of collective individuals. Their choices seek to serve the best interests of one individual and his family.
The counter argument to former president Jacob Zuma’s incarceration is that leaders of the apartheid regime were never truly held accountable, so why should accountability be enforced on a black man.
The truth is many black leaders have occupied positions of esteem and high rank in our government since 1994. Are they not the ones who are meant to initiate true justice and reform? But what happened? They are offered a slap on the wrist known as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for the perpetrators.
The perpetrators were then sent to their rooms and received the Sunset Clause for dinner, further securing their safety from justice. Germany had the Nuremberg trials even though Hitler was dead, the trials proved that there cannot be reconciliation without justice.
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