Just accept the truth no matter who’s telling it!

DO OUR leaders think we’re stupid? They keep doing and saying things that can only impress the ignorant and the misinformed.

At least that’s what I used to believe.

But now I’m beginning to think they’re not just relying on everyone being stupid.

They know there are other groups out there that will also let them get away with saying dumb and crazy things: lazy thinkers and those blinded by emotion.

These last two groups aren’t really ignorant enough to be taken in by obviously stupid statements, but they either can’t be bothered to apply their minds, or they ignore the stupidity because the message warms their hearts.

Let me give a good example. In Parliament last week, President Jacob Zuma said Africans lived in peace with each other and had fun, but then came “the others”.

This isn’t the first time Zuma has blamed the arrival of whites on these shores for all the problems we have.

Not too long ago he said that all our troubles started when Jan van Riebeeck got off his ship at the Cape.

Now, I very rarely find myself in agreement with FF Plus leader Pieter Mulder, but this time I couldn’t deny that the man was talking some sense.

He responded to the president’s comments by talking about King Shaka’s wars against other tribes, and asked if Shaka used the iklwa spear to make shisa nyama for Mzansi’s smaller tribes.

His point was of course that there was violence and war in South Africa long before people here first had contact with whites. And that’s true.

We must accept the truth, no matter who happens to be telling it.

Don’t tell me Zuma doesn’t know that his version of history is incorrect. Maybe he’s betting that a lot of people out there don’t really know too much about history.

But I think he’s relying even more on those other groups I mentioned above. First there’s the lazy thinkers, who won’t bother to properly think about or analyse what Zuma is saying.

It sort of sounds like what he’s saying makes sense, so they just let it go.

Then there’s the ones blinded by emotions, the ones who hear “whites caused all our problems”, and because that’s an idea that appeals to them they accept what is being said.

I can tell you one thing, basing our positions on what feels good rather than what is true and real is a sure way to bring disaster upon ourselves.

But I’m afraid this is exactly what a lot of our politics is based on. When someone says that nationalising the mines will make every citizen rich, people believe it because it fills their hearts with hope and because they want it to be true. They don’t stop to ask how exactly nationalisation is actually going to put all of us inside BMWs and fancy houses.

W HEN Minister Nathi Nhleko gave his Nkandla report briefing, and showed us that Leon Schuster-like video of cops demonstrating how to use a swimming pool to put out a fire, he was depending on people’s ignorance, laziness and emotional blindness to get away with the whole thing. He couldn’t even help himself from laughing at how absurd some of the findings of the report were.

I don’t know about you, but I want there to be a future for my kids in Mzansi. And there’s not going to be one if we keep letting politicians get away with this nonsense. We can’t just blame them – we also have to look at ourselves.

It’s time to take a long hard look at ourselves, and ask “Am I ignorant? Am I a lazy thinker? Am I blinded by my feelings?” When we can all answer “no” to each of those questions, then not even the most corrupt politician will be a match for us.

Send your thoughts to [email protected].

Until next week, salani kahle!

This article first appeared in the Sunday Sun.