The freedom of the press in enshrined in our very progressive constitution. However, words on paper, are just that, words. Without action they mean nothing. Today I read with great sadness that South African photographer, Anton Hammerl, was shot dead in Libya fighting his own war, to bring the truth to the world.
What is even more horrific is that he was shot on April 5 and Libya has maintained the lie that he was alive all this time. Worse than that, so did the South African government. Claiming to have been misquoted at this point, weeks after the quote was printed simply does not ring true.
With their hatred of the press, the ANC has taken another step back into the dark ages of the National Party. They used this man’s horror, his family’s grief, to create spin for their election campaign. Look how caring we are. Look how we support our people. Together we’ll send you up the creek without a paddle. Then we’ll stand on the bank and watch you sink.
It seems very coincidental to me that the news of Anton’s death breaks the very day after the local elections. How odd. How serendipitous.
I haven’t been following the result of the elections. I voted, despite the belief that nothing will change. The Jukskei will still stink with effluent, the sewerage in Buccleuch will overflow into my garden and I’ll still spend most of the night in utter darkness thanks to Eskom’s ineptitude.
I believe that the most dangerous men (and women) are zealots. No matter what side of the fence they sit on, zealots are beyond rational thought. It seems to me that our ruling parties is not only made up of zealots with over-developed God complexes, but is worshipped by its followers. They are not a political party. They are a religion. The thing about religion is faith. Faith means you don’t ask questions. It means you don’t follow common sense. It means you do what you told. With a vote for the ANC getting you a pass through the pearly gates, we’ve got Zuma as God and JuJu as the prodigal son. May God help us all.
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