Primary responsibility for the safety of citizens in a country is the government of that country, not of business.

The responsibility of business to the country is to pay tax (like everyone else) to ensure the government has money to keep citizens safe, among other responsibilities.

South Africans do not seem to know why they pay tax, why they vote or what the responsibilities of those they put into power are.

The women - in their protest last week, instead of holding the government which they themselves fund through their taxes, accountable for failure to create a safe environment for them - used business as a scapegoat.

There is no safety in a country that can be circumscribed to individual members of society such as female or children safety. Just like you cannot speak of farm killings in isolation. Safety is safety. It is the requirement for all citizens. Failure to create a safe environment for citizens is one of the most glaring failures of a government.

The women need to have demonstrated against the government, not business. They should be occupying government corridors until something is done. They have no capacity to create the safe environment, whatever money they may raise. But then in SA, citizens do not think a government they vote for has any responsibility to themselves.

Dr Kenosi Mosalakae, Houghton