Once upon a time, i was like many of my readers who welcomed the Democratic Alliance (DA) into power in our little towns on the Garden Route.
I’ve long being a skeptic of the notion of politicians for the people but the DA spoke a good talk and promised the holy grail of transparency. That soon became a relic along with the hope that they would love the towns that elected them. Instead, party politics ruled the days, and us, from afar; Zuma and Zille, a tag team for pretend democracy and big business; a show of pre-election promises but a broken reality thereafter.
For the most part, the little areas we call home have been ignored by the media. Diluted, local newspapers wouldn’t dare challenge the same entities that bought advertising space…BUT WHERE WAS THE NATIONAL MEDIA? Sure, they’re enthusiastic harpies if lots of children die in a bus but where were they when the truth about our politicians and the suffering needed to be told? When did they decide that the DA got a free ride? Was it when tabloid news replaced investigative journalism?
The only truthseekers and truthsayers have been 3 blogs; The O’Online, The Justice and Equality Front and my criticism, The Knysna Keep. We sometimes disagree with each others’ opinions (and i can’t call us friends) but what we overwhelmingly have in common is that there’s something wretchedly wrong with the politics in our towns.
We protest with words and YELL in bold, begging South Africa to take notice of us…and help correct the wrongs that wrong our towns. Instead, we hear silence…and the loudest silence is our fellow citizens hiding…hiding from action that would protect their families and help themselves. Fear has replaced human rights…and the media shares its guilt.
Journalists, we’d welcome your attention…
