Dramatic images of protest action in South Africa
Dramatic photos awaited me when I woke up this morning, the result of yet another violent episode of strike action. Our country, South Africa, is deeply unhappy, and this is evidenced by the increasingly dramatic incidences of (literally) inflammatory protest.
Last week I received one of those annoying obviously fake WhatsApp messages about how certain elements intended to make the country ungovernable. While clearly fake, it did seem to contain an element of truth. Labour is protesting the new minimum wage bill, which proposes to set a minimum hourly wage of R20 ($1,62). I know this seems unbelievably low, but as a long term small business owner, I can't afford it. If it is enforced, it might well be the final step to closing the shop and working solely online, which would put the four remaining permanent staff members out of a job, one they have held for periods varying from ten to twenty years. At one stage I used to employ seven people.
Images: https://ladysmithgazette.co.za
Last night's dramatic protest was unlawful and involved the burning of about 20 trucks at the toll plaza on one of our main national highways. There was (of course) also looting. The protesters were angry about foreign nationals being employed. South Africa has an ugly xenophobic streak. Fortunately no one was hurt. The highway affected is exceedingly busy over long weekends, so quite a bit of chaos has ensued. We use this highway all the time as it is the road that runs from Johannesburg to Durban, and my town is situated midpoint between the two cities. My husband travels it almost weekly, though thankfully was not on the road when this incident occurred.
Image: Twitter, @FirstTakeSA
Image: Twitter, @JGvanZyl_ZA
There have been several other provinces that have been affected even worse than us. Corruption is rife in our country, and poverty is escalating. No-one is unaffected, and businesses feel it keenly. What will happen to our country, things seem to be getting worse? I know economic problems are a world-wide issue, and the so is the vast network of corruption that spans the globe. All we can do is be careful and be happy when we can.
@onetree
Sources:
http://ewn.co.za/2018/04/30/clean-up-operation-underway-on-n3-following-torching-of-trucks
I cannot and will not condone gratuitous violence even if I understand why it happens. Equally, I agree that R20/hour is a paltry figure to pay someone;
and the challenge of paying it. I, too, have recently had to close my business because the cost of keeping it compliant to be able to bid for work in government and parastatals (and not getting it), was just too costly. And more than 20 years ago, when employing people became so difficult, I made the decision not to grow my business - far too risky to incur overheads and try to find work to cover just the overheads and eke out a living. I had watched a friend and colleague do just that. It killed her. Literally.
I cannot not hope for the future. I believe that we have turned a corner, or just beginning to turn the corner. No-one believed that Zuma would create havoc he did, to the extent he did, but less than 10 years later we look back and see how insidious his destruction has been. Unlike under the old regime, we are now seeing what he's done and even though it will take years, the judicial system is working. He and his fellow crooks are being shown up, and have their day in court, they shall.
This and the ordinary people I engage with every day who have the same needs as we all do: peace, education for their children, food in their tummies a warm bed and a loving family, give me hope.
#teamsouthafrica
I have hope, but it;s kind of vague, just a being a better person for a better future kind of thing. I don't think the change of president is going to change anything,
I was profoundly disappointed when Zuma became president. It was the first time since 1990 that I began to fear for this country, about which I am passionate.
So, I have to say that, on the contrary, and having had a long and vicarious association with the new president, I think that things will change. It will be a bit like steering the Titanic, yes, so it will take a long time. My hope is that he is able to stay around long enough to effect that change and that we will look back five years from now and see how far the country has come. The rot is deep, yes, and to get rid of it is going to be a long, hard road. I have to believe that he will and can. It began with the new Minister of Finance, to mention the obvious one and also with returning Naledi Pandor to a portfolio that needs her: Higher Education and Training. There are other things, too, like the Eskom board, the fact that Zuma will be in court, and that we have a free press, and that I can say things like this and not be worried about who's listening/reading....
I am a glass half full type of girl, so hope I must, as I did in the 1980's.
Thank you for your reply to this post @fionasfavourites. You are acknowledging the problem but stating the positive also. Both my son and daughter experience being paid less than R3000 a month here on the South Coast of KZN. They were not happy with the pay, but they need money to survive. I will also not be able to pay my domestic worker R3500 per month. I will have to cut back her days and hours so in the end she will still get what I can afford. South Africa has massive problems but we have been overcoming it since we arrived here in 1652. We will make it!
Shocking images! Hope everything gets better soon! Greetings from Spain!
Thanks so much!
What's happening is balkanization. Isn't your country becoming extremely racist towards white? Blacks being favored ahead of whites because of government programs etc? White farmers being executed. Let me guess..these demonstrations were by black people who despite getting waaaay more money from the government and being favorised into jobs - are STILL complaining about whites being racist.
Well..let me tell you. You can never solve this. Not possible. Sweden for instanec has had an extreme increase in rapes the past year..and there is a very strong correlation statistically that these rapes are performed by young migrants. But i you ask the young migrant, there are swedes who are doing the rapes. And since the mainstream has chosen feelings over facts, and the darker your skin the more virtuous you are - well, guess who is right? The young migrants.
Then the narrative is swedes are bad -migrants good. Same as your country. Whites are bad -blacks are good. Even if they end up creating concentration camps for whites mainstream media and leftists will still paint the blacks as virtuous. And this insanity is exactly what happened during Hitlers reign. You are being deceived :) And it's really really weird to watch
Yes, there are elements of that, unfortunately. Even though the whites are just as shitty generally. One group always get demonised, it's just the way it is.
Yes. People who believe that we can live in a world without "racism" are very naive. We all have preferences. We prefer people who are like ourselves. Hell, I don't even like most of my white neighbours. I think they are complete morons. I don't share their values, hobbies, mindset anything. And when someone comes from a COMPLETELY different culture..well, I generally don't have anything in common with them - and they not with me. Just how it is. Sure, some people adapt and share my values regardless of color..but as long as we have governments and politics we will never have free association between people. In a non state world, people would move to a certain geographical area because they wanted to join the society that area had created. So if you were a 50 year old bongo-drumming white leftist woman, you could freely move to a african tribe if you got accepted there. Come to think of it..I suppose one could do that right now as well..weirdly enough, most people don't really do that :) They seem to want the comforts and luxuries that has been created by european culture. And each time they attack whitey..society goes to shit..and then they can blame whitey for what he did in the past..and around we go, and the answer lies in taking gooddamn responsiblity yourself, but that never happens as long as you can blame the self hating cuck whitey who points at himself and apologizes for being alive and created the best societies on earth, and things such as womens rights, gay rights, affirmative action, and all the unbelevably incentivizing rules and efforts to make things easier for colored people - and yet they fail..
The carousel will never end..as long as whites never stand up for themselves and start liking themselves and fighting for THEIR rights to exist like every other race - they are going to be ran over by everyone else. Who can you blame for your misfortunes?? Whites! And especially white males. :)
Just how it is..I don't give a s...I actually almost hope it goes to hell, just to say "I told you so". :D
Don't worry, it is probably all going to hell! ;) I choose to be as happy as I can while I'm here.
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Thanks!!!
Great post! Your post has been mentioned in my Little Kitty top posts of the day. Congratulations!!
Thanks, much appreciated.
Confusing to say the least, what makes people create havoc and chaos so regularly?
Promises made, not kept by government would be my very first response.
Greed vs Poverty, some are wishing for a home, running water, electricity and never see it come to fruition.
Handful of instigators causing mayhem, (grant systems do not work, yes feeding some but not all,) pay increases for the multitude needs to be made in small increments to make it all inclusive.
When salary increases are legally imposed, many will be without work again, it will not be the first time this has happened, sadly too much poverty going around.
The massive corruption that sucks most of the money out of the country is to blame.
The sad thing is they keep on getting away with it and our leaders does not do anything
I think it will only get worse. I used to be more positive.
Wow a lot has changed from when I used to travel there yearly... that was about 10 years ago. It seems no matter where one goes around this world there is turmoil and absurdity. All I can say is hang in there, business constantly needs to change and dodge bullets. You will find a solution.
I agree, despite the happenings, we just have to keep on going.
Hope things improve and your business will survive.
Thank I appreciate it. It will one way or another, but I would like to keep the shop as long as possible.
Thank you for sharing this @onetree. We must believe and stay strong. Good luck on your side of our country!
And you on yours!!!