GOVT DETACHED FROM ITS PEOPLE

Sir,

On a particular day I woke up and walked to the nearest shop to buy something for breakfast. There I found a man who was grabbing the day’s newspaper, milk and a loaf of bread. Coincidentally, I had come to buy the same stuff. The man took out a E20 note to pay for his stuff and the lady over the counter told him that the money was short. He was surprisedas to how could that be, because three days ago he bought the same stuff and E20 was enough for all three things.

While I am standing there waiting for my turn to be assisted, the conversation took an interesting turn. The man seemed to hear none of the fact that some of the stuff hiked.

He eventually paid the extra two Emalangeni and I also paid for my stuff and we both walked out of the shop already sharing our frustration on how expensive the cost of living had become.

Turmoil

Outside we continued our chat about our country’s economic system which appears to be in turmoil. “My son,” he said while adjusting his eye glasses, “I am not afraid to say I love my country, but not my government.” 
I responded and challenged him to elaborate why he had said that. He said our government was disconnected from the people it serves, the people who make this country. 

Corruption

Everyday we read of people who are starving and how unemployment is very high, yet money that can help this small nation survive is being eaten by corruption in the higher echelons of power. He continued to say government’s primary duty is to protect the people, not run their lives. He went on about a lot of things and I couldn’t help but share the same sentiments and frustration.

To our politicians, plunder has become a way of life and they continue to create for themselves a legal system that authorizes a moral code that glorifies it. And as that happens, the nation further gets detached from its government.

It will forever be a pattern: prices go up, consumers get angry, politicians feel pity for us and do nothing and nothing changes. It’s a vicious cycle. We always mumble and grumble until we get used to it.  Even screaming the frustration out won’t help.

Nhlangano  
  

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