By T Markandan
Cape Town - Tomorrow is Freedom Day. There will be speeches with flowery language and more promises to mark the momentous day when liberated voters full of hope and enthusiasm went to the polls to elect a democratic government that promised to make their lives better.
But almost three decades later it seems like a mirage in a hot, shimmering desert.
For many, South Africa has become a nightmare. While the well connected, privileged black elite will indulge in sumptuous meals washed down with Moet and Royal Flush gin, for millions of black people Freedom Day will just be another miserable day in democratic South Africa.
It will bring no joy, only a painful reminder of that eventful day when they stood in long, winding queues to elect the ANC into power.
Was it worth it, to topple the apartheid government and replace it with a majority black government? Have their lives improved in any meaningful way?
Not a bit. Life in the so called Rainbow Nation has become a daily struggle.
“No jobs, no shelter and no food” has become the daily cry of the poor. But their pleas fall on deaf years as the black elite fly past them in their luxury cars. Only the corrupt and criminals thrive in sunny South Africa.
As the years went by it became clearer and clearer that they had been fooled by the men and women they elected.
They were not leaders of impeccable calibre, morals and principle, just a bunch of shameless, grasping, ruthless thieves and looters bent only on enriching themselves.
Thabo Bester might be an excellent con artist, but the biggest con artist in the country is, believe or not, the ANC.
Over the three decades it has been in power it has conned the public into believing that it is the only party that can govern South Africa, but it has been busy plundering the country.
Thabo Bester has embarrassed the government with his daring escape.
But the government itself is an even worse embarrassment – to democracy, to the country, to the people and to the founding fathers of the organisation who had such high ideals and sacrificed so much.
Everywhere you look you see the ravaging effects of the marauding band of thieves.
They have made South Africa the laughing stock of the world.
The criminals within the ANC walk about freely. Despite been fingered in corruption, many are still in power, live in the lap of luxury and enjoy all the perks of their positions.
Even when we are all in darkness, their homes are lit up by generators.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) failed to bring the country’s biggest thieves, the Gupta brothers, back from their hideout in the Emirates to face charges in South Africa.
In the first state capture case, the NPA suffered a second setback when it failed to nail seven of the Gupta associates implicated in the R24 million Nulane Investments fraud and money laundering case.
Like the extradition application, it mucked up the evidence and the Bloemfontein High Court had to let the men go free.
I am sure they will join the thousands of other corrupt public servants and celebrate Freedom Day.
Cape Times
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