Revulsion and Shame!

The more I thought of the news my GLW shared with me on Saturday morning the more the loathing increased. I am, at this point of my life, finding it very, very difficult to call myself a proud South African. In fact, I rather wish this dark episode will not cast an eternal shadow on us as a people.

I cannot help but feeling a guilt that I’ve never experienced before in my life. Even the guilt of being born into apartheid South Africa cannot compare with the guilt of being associated with this latest level of barbarism. Yes folk… the rulers of my country of birth have rather much to answer for! When lawlessness is allowed to stoop to such lows then I’m afraid there can be very little hope for a bright future in what is now the sorry shambles of a country called South Africa.

The best part of it all, sorry… the most despicable part of it all? The international media are again silent! When a young lady is raped and killed in India it makes world news… when a Pakistani girl is shot for attending school we read about it… but, when these utterly barbaric crimes are committed in South Africa there is no outcry!

What I find even more disturbing is the fact that we South Africans who do speak out are ignored… yes, I have written before… including using this blog as a tool… to no avail. It seems that every time I mention the horrendous crime rate in SA the posts are ignored. Glossed over… treated with fleeting interest. Not taken seriously.

This week’s WordPress Photo Challenge is titled HOME. I will use this rather apt title to ask how you would feel today if your home was afflicted with such a curse? How would you feel if you were living in a country where your chances of having a happy home life was constantly under treat? How would you feel if you had daughters living in a country where this is happening? How would you feel if the lawmakers turn a blind eye all the time? If they are as evil and corrupt as the perpetrators of the crimes?

How would you feel if you lived in a country whose people supported the folk who are now in power? Tell me… would you also hang your head when you have to face the fact that your country’s governments sanctioned support for the murderers now in power in a country once the jewel of Africa? How would you feel if you realised that the world is constantly turning the collective blind eye to the horrors been subjected on the innocent population?

How would you feel if you read the article I’m supplying the link to, PLEASE CLICK HERE, please! How would you feel if you had to go home tonight and relate this horrid story, of a girl raped, mutilated and tortured before left for dead. How would you feel if you then read further that the young lady actually lived long enough to identify one of the sub-humans?

How would you feel if you were living in one of the great western nations who were instrumental in assisting the murdering swine now in power? How would you feel if it is on your collective conscience that you are a citizen of a country now turning a blind eye to the endless progression of barbarism?

What can we do? I’m pleading with you… please spread the word… please help educate the world to what is really happening in South Africa. Once the world stood up to apartheid… once the world placed sanctions and boycotts against a country that could have done better without isolation. Now what? The days are darker… the slaughter greater… the flight of those who can massive. Yet, the world bothers none!

HOME? That place where we want to live in peace, is it not? I’m afraid I will never be able to go back. Why, because I have chosen to turn my back on my country of birth because my country turned it’s back on me. Here in Europe I know my family have freedom, peace… here I know my wife can go off to the shop without me wondering if she’ll be safe. But even so, I have family back in SA that I fear for all the time!

My prayer is that this photo-less weekly photo challenges makes it to the Friday Freshly Pressed panel… simply to spread the word as quickly as possible. I hope and pray that if enough is said something may get DONE! It is high time a corrupt government made up of criminals and unjust rulers is brought to book. Only then can and will crime decrease in that place once called home… once called paradise… once called great!

Strange how a year ago, almost to the day, I shared with you a bit of what is happening in SA… and a bit of the cause of my guilt… click here to see those posts… but whatever you do, please let this post be sufficient inspiration to get you to DO something! Maybe it will make you appreciate the privilege of your home a little more…