Vote them out

It’s enough of all this talk of us being unsafe here and what a dreadful future we have. Do we all honestly believe that? I don’t.

South Africa has lots of problems, and I’m the first to get aggravated by potholes and extended loadshedding. Our economy is up the creek, and I’m not blind to any of this.

But it all boils down to this government needing to go.

Yes, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his merry band of African National Congress (ANC) comrades aren’t our friends. They have proved this recently by making it clear they feel no allegiance to us. But the reality is that I don’t believe they have allegiance to anyone in this country. They certainly don’t show it. If they did, would they honestly let this country suffer the way it is?

I mean, consider all their rantings about how Palestinians live. What of South Africans?

They seem to go to great lengths at huge cost – even if they don’t pay for it themselves – to make a noise about how horrific the plight of the Palestinians is, while ignoring their own people.

I’m not for one second saying Palestinians in Gaza are having it easy, they aren’t. However, we have such high unemployment. We have so many people who are literally starving. In 2020, we had as many as 30.3 million people, which amounts to 55.5% of the population, living in poverty in our country. The most up to date unemployment figures are 32.9% of the population, which is almost one-third of the country.

And that’s just the basis of where we’re at as a country. However, the ANC government is looking north to Israel’s war with the terrorist organisation that rules Gaza, and has everything to say about that. Our government is furious about the deaths of innocent civilians in another country. Well, I’m furious about the deaths of innocent civilians right here. I wish no harm on anyone, but for goodness sake, if you’re a government that cares about your country and people, help your own home and people first. What’s that proverb that puts it in a nutshell? People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! The ANC government is doing just that.

So, while us Jews may feel the discomfort of them turning on us, this government turned on the rest of its people a long time ago, neglecting to focus on upliftment, wealth generation, jobs, industries, and I could go on. I guess it was too busy looking north – or east – and giving free rein to corruption.

The most important thing all of us can do as South Africans is to vote that party out and vote in a government that will truly look out for all of us. A government that will put us on a path of growth, progress, and to being a country that others admire. How wonderful it would be to have a government that put its people, economy, and future first before individual members’ pockets and livelihoods!

We aren’t visitors here. We’re South Africans, and have as much right as anyone else to be here and thrive. We don’t need to consider running away when our government does something we don’t agree with. We don’t need to head for the hills. We don’t need to get depressed and downhearted. We need to make the change that needs to happen, come what may.

It’s our country and, along with all our people, we need to make it better, not leave.

Our children go to top schools and universities. We have exceptional private medical care, and we have a good life here in our country.

And, as the chief rabbi keeps reminding us, we live in a democracy. The ANC may be the government now, but it’s only in place because it was voted in. It can just as easily be voted out. In our democracy, we live with many freedoms and are actually able to live the way we want to.

So, while our Shabbos tables over the past few weeks may have been about all our woes, emigration, backstabbing governments, etcetera, perhaps we need to stop being so easy to scare.

Perhaps it’s time to recognise our rights as fully fledged South Africans who want to remain here and develop and build our country. We have no reason to run. We have every reason to stand our ground and do what we need to do to make all our lives better.

As far as I’m concerned, a government that uses another country as a scapegoat for its own problems is a desperate government trying everything to hold onto power. It’s a failed government trying to find a way back into the hearts and minds of people.

Now, if anyone in this country honestly believes that because the South African government took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) it will be a great government to vote in again, they need their heads read.

Realistically, I cannot believe anyone in their right minds can overlook all the damage the ANC government has done to this country simply because it agrees with it taking Israel to the ICJ. Surely not? How does challenging another country’s methods at war mean it is adept at looking after its own people?

If that was the case, then our country wouldn’t be in such a bad state.

Really, anyone voting for the ANC would be voting for more poverty, unemployment, loadshedding, failing infrastructure, and so it goes on.

I believe we have enough thinking people in this country, be they black, white, coloured, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, atheist, male, female, young, and old, who recognise what we as a country need. And it’s not more time under an ANC government. It’s a new government that will show us what it’s like to have leaders that care for their people.

So, if you’re thinking your vote doesn’t count, stop. Every vote counts. More than anything, South Africans abroad need to register and vote in the elections. It’s vital. You can do so, and what’s more, it’s your right and privilege.

In the same way as people in this country died to have a vote, let’s not waste our rights as South Africans, whether you’re here or abroad. Register to vote, and if you believe you’re registered, check that you, in fact, are. Go to: https://registertovote.elections.org.za/Welcome

Shabbat shalom!

Peta Krost

Editor