Friday 20 April 2012

BRIBERY....


Money can buy you silence...
In countries throughout the world you find that the easiest way to get out of trouble is through tjotjo( South African term for bribery)....

I have personally come into contact with people who have been caught driving under the influence of alcohol by the South African (Johannesburg) metro police. All it took for them to get out of trouble was R200 and it was almost as if  the traffic cop vanished into thin air.The bottom line is, if you get pulled over, be it next to the road or the border queue, you ARE going to reach for your wallet.
Although this is the method most use to get out of trouble with the law...can we honestly say that we as road users are really safe on the roads because officials who are supposed to ensure that people do not drink and drive are now taking bribery and allowing these people to continue driving and possibly causing road accidents.

However, bribery does not exist in the police force only but also in schools and varsities because in schools you find that students are buying exam and test question papers from educators and it is regarded as a normal everyday thing. Corruption......Is this really what our forefathers fought for during the struggle???  

Friday 13 April 2012

Corruption and Poverty




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  The leading cause for corruption and crime in Africa and countries all over the world is poverty and according to the Mail & Guardian that was published  on the  12th of April 2012, almost more than half of the South African population is living below the poverty line surviving on less than R500 per month.

With such statistics, it is no wonder crime and corruption are at their highest, thirst and hunger are enough to drive anyone to doing whatever it takes to put a decent meal on the table. As a result of poverty , many people are deprived of a good education which could enable them to better themselves and break the poverty chain.  Poverty has gone down over time , but clearly not enough and this is only part of the dilemma we face in South Africa, because while poverty levels decline, inequality has increased and the gap between the haves and have-nots continues to grow.

The government alone cannot combat poverty .... let us also step in and help feed as well as dress the poor.It will surely help the fight against corruption because constantly complaining about crime and corruption does not make it go away...if we focus on the root of this problem  I strongly believe that South Africa at some stage or another will definitely overcome crime and corruption. 

Thursday 5 April 2012

I was a victim…..

At the rate corruption is growing, we will all at some point of our lives become victims of corruption and crime in our own country. Unfortunately for some of us that time was now rather than later….

On the 22nd of September last year, criminals broke into our house and stole R30, 000 worth of goods and till this day the case that we opened cannot be located. It has somehow disappeared and concidering the fact that corruption not only exists amongst us as ordinary citizens but also in our defence force, It wouldn’t be so hard to  believe that the people who broke into our house gave the policemen who were in charge of our case a piece of the pie buying them a clean record.

It is really painful to work for something and have someone else just come and take it from you and instead of the Police force working together to protect us as the citizens of their country; they are working together in destroying the nation that was built from blood, sweat and tears by our ancestors.

 The direction in which S.A is heading saddens me because if we do not feel safe in our own country….where else shall we feel safe?