Literature has proven a powerful medium to amplify human adversaries over centuries. I am reminded of the Senegalese author Ousmane Sembene’s classic novel God’s Bits of Wood. It narrates colonial encounters as Africans fought for freedom and dignity. Of particular note is Houdia M’Baye’s nine children, rendered fatherless when their father is killed in strike-related fighting. SA’s nine provinces too, feel “fatherless” because of the government’s inability to govern and render basic services.
Dysfunctionality and ineffectiveness have become normalcy and the way of life across spheres of governance. A decade of worse power cuts and humdrum communiqués typify daily communication. Intermittent moments of not being loadshed become nostalgic and anecdotal!
Everything in this country competes – cadres compete for party positions by any means possible. The underworld has become brazen regardless of presence of law enforcement agencies.
Social disparities in terms of property ownerships continue to widen with dire consequences. Life at informal settlements is a dunk misery by nature and man-made practices. We have no effective plans to rehabilitate human settlements.
It is an admission of failed spatial plans and policies. Paucity of basic amenities is tinder for protests by communities as demonstrated by the Diepsloot protests. There are no effective and sustainable interventions offered by provincial governments.
The state of our roads and quality of vehicles leave much to be desired. Road fatalities keep rocketing due to unroadworthy vehicles, poor management of road infrastructure and poorly certified drivers.
The education sector has a myriad of challenges with no effective plans to redress. We have again performed poorly in international assessment tests, where our pipils showed lack of basic comprehension skills.
We continue to return unused allocated infrastructure grants because designated provincial departments lack capacity to disburse funds. This amounts to a complete abrogation of responsibility and accountability and subtle perpetration of inequalities.
The healthcare sector has a fair share of challenges in terms of resources, physical infrastructure and human capital. Incidences of poor patient care and nonremuneration of nursing staff add to the misery. We seem not to have effective plans and efficacious implementation strategies to make the healthcare sector a service provider of choice.
The water cuts by Rand Water due to power outages is a denouement for anguish, frustration and absurdity. The humdrum communiqués by Rand Water and affected municipalities does not help. The water crisis in Hammanskraal should be resolved soonest.
Incidences of social disharmony such as gender-based violence against women and children are not receding. The recent murder of Palesa Malatji, a grade 12 learner in Soshanguve, warrants a rethink and efficacious implementation of effective interventions. Children of this country, like those in Sembene’s novel, feel “fatherless” as the law enforcement agencies fail to protect them against murderers.
Quo vadis SA? With the 2024 elections looming, one hopes political parties have done introspection and have clarity of programmes of action to fix challenges raised. Regrettably, the focus is on ousting the ANC without articulation of how they plan to be better than the ruling party.
The opposition parties have hatched a plan to guide a pact government, which includes: formulation of joint minimum programme of action, rules of engagement during elections campaign and a formula to form a cabinet after the 2024 elections. How these approaches shall address current challenges is a moot point. Current municipal coalitions have failed. It is plausible the opposition pact shall suffer the same fate.
Let us fix the pillars that sustain and develop a sound economy and excellent delivery of services. Time to tolerate dysfunctionality, ineptitude and incompetence is done. SA deserves better!
• Monyooe is a Sowetan reader
LEBUSA MONYOOE | Like fatherless kids, SA cries for decisive leadership
Ineptitude cannot be tolerated any longer
Literature has proven a powerful medium to amplify human adversaries over centuries. I am reminded of the Senegalese author Ousmane Sembene’s classic novel God’s Bits of Wood. It narrates colonial encounters as Africans fought for freedom and dignity. Of particular note is Houdia M’Baye’s nine children, rendered fatherless when their father is killed in strike-related fighting. SA’s nine provinces too, feel “fatherless” because of the government’s inability to govern and render basic services.
Dysfunctionality and ineffectiveness have become normalcy and the way of life across spheres of governance. A decade of worse power cuts and humdrum communiqués typify daily communication. Intermittent moments of not being loadshed become nostalgic and anecdotal!
Everything in this country competes – cadres compete for party positions by any means possible. The underworld has become brazen regardless of presence of law enforcement agencies.
Social disparities in terms of property ownerships continue to widen with dire consequences. Life at informal settlements is a dunk misery by nature and man-made practices. We have no effective plans to rehabilitate human settlements.
It is an admission of failed spatial plans and policies. Paucity of basic amenities is tinder for protests by communities as demonstrated by the Diepsloot protests. There are no effective and sustainable interventions offered by provincial governments.
The state of our roads and quality of vehicles leave much to be desired. Road fatalities keep rocketing due to unroadworthy vehicles, poor management of road infrastructure and poorly certified drivers.
The education sector has a myriad of challenges with no effective plans to redress. We have again performed poorly in international assessment tests, where our pipils showed lack of basic comprehension skills.
We continue to return unused allocated infrastructure grants because designated provincial departments lack capacity to disburse funds. This amounts to a complete abrogation of responsibility and accountability and subtle perpetration of inequalities.
The healthcare sector has a fair share of challenges in terms of resources, physical infrastructure and human capital. Incidences of poor patient care and nonremuneration of nursing staff add to the misery. We seem not to have effective plans and efficacious implementation strategies to make the healthcare sector a service provider of choice.
The water cuts by Rand Water due to power outages is a denouement for anguish, frustration and absurdity. The humdrum communiqués by Rand Water and affected municipalities does not help. The water crisis in Hammanskraal should be resolved soonest.
Incidences of social disharmony such as gender-based violence against women and children are not receding. The recent murder of Palesa Malatji, a grade 12 learner in Soshanguve, warrants a rethink and efficacious implementation of effective interventions. Children of this country, like those in Sembene’s novel, feel “fatherless” as the law enforcement agencies fail to protect them against murderers.
Quo vadis SA? With the 2024 elections looming, one hopes political parties have done introspection and have clarity of programmes of action to fix challenges raised. Regrettably, the focus is on ousting the ANC without articulation of how they plan to be better than the ruling party.
The opposition parties have hatched a plan to guide a pact government, which includes: formulation of joint minimum programme of action, rules of engagement during elections campaign and a formula to form a cabinet after the 2024 elections. How these approaches shall address current challenges is a moot point. Current municipal coalitions have failed. It is plausible the opposition pact shall suffer the same fate.
Let us fix the pillars that sustain and develop a sound economy and excellent delivery of services. Time to tolerate dysfunctionality, ineptitude and incompetence is done. SA deserves better!
• Monyooe is a Sowetan reader