KENOSI MOSALAKAE | Patriots should use their power to effect change in SA

An association of patriotism with loyalty to the incumbent government is a bizarre anti-democracy attitude.

A government's mandate is for a defined period. It's not permanent. Therefore, loyalty to such an entity that can be removed anytime in a democracy cannot be "patriotism".

Patriotism is love for the country and its people.

The fact that in a democracy you periodically have to go for elections, means the constant is country and the people, not the government of the day. The five-year or four-year "term" allows citizens to evaluate the performance of the incumbent government and the subsequent elections give citizens the opportunity to make changes based on performance.

If you are patriotic, you will always strive to place the running of the affairs of the country in capable hands.

This you do by first looking thoroughly into the records of those that offer themselves for the job. Are they patriots? Are they concerned with the welfare of the country and its people? Are they sincere? Are they honest? If they have been in power, what have they done? Have they improved the lot of the people? If they are offering themselves to run the country for the first time what motivates them?  What is their potential to be efficient?

A country has to be run in a manner that brings prosperity to all citizens. And that is depended on the patriotism of those mandated to run the affairs of the country. You cannot be a patriot unless you dream of your country being well run and the best compared to others.

You cannot be a patriot if you offer yourself to run the affairs of your country with the sole aim of siphoning its resources for yourself and those close to you. You cannot be a patriot if you lie to people and feel victorious if people swallow your lie and view them as fools manageable with a T-shirt or a plate of food. You cannot be a patriot if you vote just to evoke a warm feeling of contentment within yourself about your party winning elections. That is the feeling you get when your sport hero wins something.

Excitement should be generated by seeing a party that will run the affairs of the country efficiently and with honesty winning elections. The shout of victory should be about "now we are in safe hands" not "Eish! sizoba bonisa, hithi si winile manje”

If you live in a country where you are not safe, people get robbed and killed with impunity. Where government run health facilities and not able to supply medicines prescribed by the doctor in the facility. Where schools are not fit for purpose including pit latrines. Where dirt is strewn all over the place, inhabitants having lost their pride as humans. Where you are now and then in the dark because of failing electricity supply.

While the ones with money including those you voted in the last elections are able to provide themselves with security, can afford medical aid and access to private health provision, take their children to private schools, afford solar panels or generators, you certainly have not mandated patriots to run your affairs.

And if you want to vote for people who create such chaos in the country you are not a patriot. 

• Dr Mosalakae is a Sowetan reader