THE march by the Democratic Alliance on Cosatu House yesterday turned out to be a missed opportunity, regrettably.
The scenes that played themselves out in central Johannesburg were not only a disgrace to a nation but proved that some among those we would like to believe should always be in the frontline in defence ofdemocracy are not necessarily democratic.
The DA organised the march on Cosatu to protest against the labour federation's anti-youth subsidy stance.
Members of Cosatu were having none of that and massed outside their headquarters in Braamfontein to "welcome" the DA marchers.
What followed were disgraceful scenes that belong to an era of South African history best forgotten.
According to reports filtering in during the course of the day, at least two people were injured when rocks were thrown and police fired teargas in a vain attempt to restore some semblance of order.
Even paramedics could not make their way through the crowd to get to the injured, who eventually had to be moved with other forms of transport to get the medical attention they needed.
Streets were strewn with rocks and litter and riot police had to fire water cannon into the Cosatu mob, reports said.
South Africa has come a long way since the dying days of apartheid when such thuggery and lawlessness in the name of politics was the order of the day.
Then, the lines were clearly drawn and we knew who were fighting a just war against the oppressors and their puppets.
Today South Africa is a proud nation that rightfully boasts about how we have, in achieving the miracle of post-1994, become an example to a world otherwise ravaged by conflict and intolerance.
We have shown that through dialogue a unity of purpose among those that would normally be at each other's throats can be forged.
But what the nation, and indeed the world at large, witnessed yesterday was the anti-thesis of what we stand for.
That a proud organisation that has fought so gallantly to bring us the freedoms we enjoy today stands accused of such loutish behaviour can only be described as tragic indeed.
As the shadows grew longer yesterday, we waited in hope for a saving moment from those leading Cosatu to come out and condemn what had gone down in their name.
The greatest test of a true democrat is their willingness and readiness to defend the rights of those with whom they differ to have their say.
Disgrace to the nation
THE march by the Democratic Alliance on Cosatu House yesterday turned out to be a missed opportunity, regrettably.
The scenes that played themselves out in central Johannesburg were not only a disgrace to a nation but proved that some among those we would like to believe should always be in the frontline in defence ofdemocracy are not necessarily democratic.
The DA organised the march on Cosatu to protest against the labour federation's anti-youth subsidy stance.
Members of Cosatu were having none of that and massed outside their headquarters in Braamfontein to "welcome" the DA marchers.
What followed were disgraceful scenes that belong to an era of South African history best forgotten.
According to reports filtering in during the course of the day, at least two people were injured when rocks were thrown and police fired teargas in a vain attempt to restore some semblance of order.
Even paramedics could not make their way through the crowd to get to the injured, who eventually had to be moved with other forms of transport to get the medical attention they needed.
Streets were strewn with rocks and litter and riot police had to fire water cannon into the Cosatu mob, reports said.
South Africa has come a long way since the dying days of apartheid when such thuggery and lawlessness in the name of politics was the order of the day.
Then, the lines were clearly drawn and we knew who were fighting a just war against the oppressors and their puppets.
Today South Africa is a proud nation that rightfully boasts about how we have, in achieving the miracle of post-1994, become an example to a world otherwise ravaged by conflict and intolerance.
We have shown that through dialogue a unity of purpose among those that would normally be at each other's throats can be forged.
But what the nation, and indeed the world at large, witnessed yesterday was the anti-thesis of what we stand for.
That a proud organisation that has fought so gallantly to bring us the freedoms we enjoy today stands accused of such loutish behaviour can only be described as tragic indeed.
As the shadows grew longer yesterday, we waited in hope for a saving moment from those leading Cosatu to come out and condemn what had gone down in their name.
The greatest test of a true democrat is their willingness and readiness to defend the rights of those with whom they differ to have their say.
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