Years ago, ago, our Parliament building was burnt. To this day, we do not know who did it, why or how it happened.
We were told that an insane man crept past all the security features. Nobody was held accountable and since we spent hundreds of millions on security of Parliament, a normal person must ask: what the hell is happening and why must we just accept that those millions were wasted?
Parliament burning is one of a million issues that happen in South Africa, where tax monies are wasted in such an audacious way that a normal person is left speechless by the scale of wastage.
Recently, we had a parliamentary election where many political parties screamed “vote rigging”.
The videos of parties protesting were on social media. Then a few of the protesting parties received what they wanted and suddenly the protests just stopped, leaving those who received no seats betrayed.
None of us is perfect and we all make mistakes but sometimes the hypocrisy is just too much and a normal person must ask questions and point fingers otherwise the “bulls***” will just continue.
For example, we have several national ministers who barely survived high school.
How in God’s holy name in 2024 can we have national leaders or leadership at any level of governance who have no actual qualifications?
I am not suggesting that everyone must have a university degree but at least when you assume authority, you must have some qualification.
A plumber who removes faeces from a blocked drain has a qualification that requires a hectic exam and certification process which may take years. A bus driver has a special licence that an average driver does not have because driving a bus or a truck is a specialised skill with serious responsibility.
In that context, how is it possible that we have national and provincial ministers and executive members of municipalities (councillors) that have no post-matric qualifications?
How can we expect ethical or good governance from people who are just about able to read and write on a basic level?
What makes politicians so special that they do not require qualifications? Can a minister with matric instruct a director-general or a mayor direct a municipal manager who has a Master’s degree?
How can a councillor with matric question an official who is a lawyer/ advocate/accountant? Is it logical?
Most South Africans are not highly qualified and we are not an intelligent nation as the global studies indicate. The least we can do is insist that our political leaders have an education.
I am not suggesting that educated leaders can solve our problems, but we must start somewhere.
No wonder parliamentary and municipal debates end up in brawls, we have ignoramuses on both sides
* Cllr Yagyah Adams, Cape Muslim Congress.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Do you have something on your mind; or want to comment on the big stories of the day? We would love to hear from you. Please send your letters to [email protected].
All letters to be considered for publication, must contain full names, addresses and contact details (not for publication)