Best of
Smiley Says
Crime has become the scourge of this country. Indeed one can say, Cry the Beloved Country!
At this very moment statistics about crime are being posted in various newspapers and many people have been involved in campaigns aiming to combat this evil and sad side of the South African community.
Even President Thabo Mbeki recently spoke out against it, calling it a scourge.
FNB wanted to launch a campaign in the press and on TV to make crime the number one priority.
But on Sunday February 4 the Sunday newspaper Rapport and others reported that this had been cancelled after “requests” from the ANC. Cabinet Ministers were reported to have been party to these “requests”.
The bank was obviously forced into submission by threats. FNB would surely not have planned to start this campaign with a view to cancelling it before it got off the ground. Being a large financial institution, the bank cannot be blamed for backing down.
The fact that cabinet ministers are involved might mean that this is the official position of government, but it may also be seen as an internal ANC attempt to block the bank. If the latter is the case and if President Mbeki still is of the opinion that crime is “scourge” then we have an internal revolt on our hands in the ANC.
But ordinary citizens and foreign visitors are all subject to criminal attacks.
Police commissioner Jackie Selebi’s connections with the alleged killers of Brett Kebble were widely reported on, the minister of safety and justice was in the news following his attacks on people who were against crime. It will take too long to list all the facts creating doubts about the honesty of the intentions of those in charge.
Ours is indeed a corrupt society.
Smiley feels that the time has come indeed for ordinary citizens to take a stand against crime – black and white should now stand together against a common enemy as never before. And every reader of this website should encourage people who do not have access to the internet to join the fight.
The campaign intended to be started may have been cancelled due to pressure on FNB but realsouthafrica.co.za is publishing the full text of the campaign as well as the letter intended to be sent to President Mbeki to request him to make the fight against crime his NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
Smiley encourages every citizen to take part in his campaign by sending the signed letter to the president.
It boils down to a REFERENDUM. Are you FOR or AGAINST crime?
Government clearly has no idea of what life is like for ordinary people. Let South Africa stand together and show President Mbeki and his fellow members in Parliament how the citizens feel about what they say.
This is the start of a war! A war of goodwill against evil. With the ammunition being used (at first) only the written word. Let us all see whether the president has the guts to take a stand.
Why send peace keeping forces to other countries if we cannot even have peace in our own country? Why have a seat on the security council if our own people do not have the benefit of feeling secure in their houses, shops, streets, parks?
Other than members of parliament feel, the purpose of parliament is not to make them fat cats. They are there to GUARANTEE safety for all the citizens – pay days for wages and salaries as well as pension payments.
President Mbeki should be asked to explain how he can feel Proud to be a South African if hid country is under attack from criminals.
Smiley is also Proud to be a South African on the basis of his contact with the great majority of South Africans. But very few of them can be found in Parliament. Many of them pocket their salary (and travel coupons) and forget that their first objective should be good government!
Smiley has to admit: it is difficult to stay positive in view of what was revealed by the newspapers regarding the fight against crime. Politicians of all parties should take note: people do not forget the wrongs that are committed against them. And this was a WRONG if Smiley ever saw one.
The government requested the pubic to share in the fight against crime, yet at the first opportunity they are being stopped.
Proud South Africans should stand together and rid the country of all those involved in crime – as well as those who sympathize with the criminals.
