Parliament debates violence, but sets a poor example itself
10 September 2019
The Members of Parliament want to debate crime and violence, but it is oftentimes in Parliament where the example to resolve disagreements by means of violence is set for the public.
The people of South Africa have heard the topics of crime and violence being debated in Parliament time and again. They have grown tired of listening to hollow words. They want to see action being taken.
The situation in the country can be compared to a spider’s web where the spider symbolises violence and criminality. The threads of the web are the various problematic issues that activate the spider whenever they are touched on.
One important aspect of the spider’s web is that there must be mutual respect for each other and our differences. And yet experience has taught us that disputes in Parliament are often settled through violence by Members of Parliament who then have to be forcefully removed from the council chambers. Violence and crime have become the accepted norm for reacting to problems in South Africa.