Tjatjarag nation my foot! It was depressing to have read an article [City Press Editorial-this tjatjarag nation will reveal its mettle,p26] labelling the masses located in all beautiful areas as ‘tjatjarag nation’; a word which may mean many things if unpacked. The freedom of speech is an important achievement that was delivered on a silver platter for some so-called social commentators yet many fail to appreciate it. Yet many of these so-called commentators have failed to dissect the huge challenges we face as a result of captains of capitalism within the economy.
Corruption is a manifestation of a failed capitalist system in which some dribble the corruptible system to win more on turn-overs and/or financial obesity. Growing global economic uncertainty must be challenged on the basis of a capitalist system that continues to undermine efforts to create decent jobs, scale-down inequalities and poverty. It is no doubt that South Africa lead the pack as the highest of 61 countries presently registering inequalities, with some residues of apartheid wage structure still prevalent. And bourgeoisie analysts in many occasion have blamed workers for demanding double-digit wage increase yet a deafening silence vibrates in the corridors when CEO’s and other public representatives get huge perks. And 'we' are hopeful unlike as suggested otherwise that ‘we were officially a corrupt nation’. Such negative posturing must not be used as a tool to undermine the many committed workforce whose interests are to serve the masses. While the press codes truly entrenches the constitutional right to freedom of speech, however such usage of words that we are tjatjarag may justify some ‘tjatjarag activities’ that are associated with unruly community protests, strikes vandalism, brutality and worse the -sport hooliganism. The context of the article may be analysed in the overtones of painting a justifiable course in supporting the call for the corruption watchdog-Corruption Watch; another milestone by the federation to put words into actions in the fight against those stealing from the poor. Without becoming alarmist as per attributable words that ‘we are officially a corrupt nation’, it is unlettered to go beyond such acceptable degree of exaggerations.And such propositions may have the potential to be bragged about by many whose improper actions made them to be in South Africa’s gaols. The editorial missed to portrays the devastating feature of crass materialism and self-gratification is the bone of contention for the corruption scourge. The already pointed ‘symbiotic relationships with business’, is as a result of pushing by hook or crook turn-over’s at the expense of sustainable and quality service delivery. We must continue to build a national democratic society and not a tjatjarag nation as alluded in the City Press Editorial. And such building blocks starts with becoming optimistic that we are not a tjatjarag society. I also pray that corruption must be swept away from the corridors of all service points both iin private and public sector. By: Mampane Norman -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
