I have always maintained that a new SA (full of problems) is better than the apartheid ghost country we come from. Despite all the shenanigans, the corruption and leadership flaws, my faith remains. We may not be a perfect country, but at least I am treated like a human being. Unlike under the apartheid system, my skin colour is no longer the barrier to the future I want.
The saddest part is that the majority of our social ills are human made — corruption, crime, violence, nepotism, laziness, incompetence, poor service delivery, poor work ethic, racism and rudeness. What happens to our sense of responsibility and care? We caused the mess, we can also undo it. Forget all the political-isms — all it requires is a change of attitude.
It is crucial to avoid what I call the “Hillbrow Syndrome”. The destruction of Hillbrow did not happen overnight. It is failure to attend to little things that made this once beautiful suburb into a monstrous tragedy. Pissing on the streets, uncollected rubbish, noise, illegal parking and so on eroded and destroyed Hillbrow. I am told in the 1960s Hillbrow was the place to be. The decay starts with individuals — you and me. A greedy and corrupt leadership compounds this.
SA is beginning to show signs of the Hillbrow syndrome. Take the Land Bank as a case study. Here is a bank created to assist struggling farmers and improve our agriculture sector. Instead, leaders mandated to carry out this task fleeced the bank. Their selfish needs jeopardised the future of the struggling farmers.
It is the same story with municipalities. Nationally you have Home Affairs undermining minister ’s efforts to clean up the department.
The electorate is also to blame for keeping silent and encouraging these corrupt practices. Everyone must ask himself or herself, what kind of SA are we trying to build? What is our individual responsibility in making this country a success? Let us get our priorities right, by recommitting to the 1994 principles of an equal, free and safe country.
It is time for the government to start leading instead of focusing on cosmetic changes. Our problems are fixable. We can achieve national reconciliation, poverty reduction, eradication of crime and accountable leadership in our lifetime. Otherwise, we risk being afflicted by the Hillbrow Syndrome. Once you are there, there is no going back.
Dr Lucas Ntyintyane
Cresta