Protesters burn down clinic

[SmartKit]

What I cant understand reading this forum. If South Africa is such a horrible place to live, why not just leave? We have the worst roads in the world, you cant cook dinner without your power going out. If its so bad here spare yourself the aggravation and just leave.

We like a challenge? Oh and the beer. And the weather. And the women from Pretoria (ja, I dunno either). Of course that have nothing to do with governance and is merely pure luck.

 

[SmartKit]

Been to the rest of Africa lately? Zero services to all of their population (why do you think they are pouring over our borders?) . Even in the bad days of apartheid black people in this country enjoyed a better lifestyle than their counterparts in the rest of Africa. The decision not to vote for whitey (as put by JohnGalt ) is thus a racist one.

So we're agreed. Most people are better off than they were in Apartheid, and they're almost all better off than the rest of Africa. Makes you wonder upon which foundation this inherent "goodness" was built. I say hoorah for Apartheid engineering, it gave South Africa a chance to leap frog the non-results of the rest of the continent made from the 50s till 90s.

 

[SmartKit]

That's not true. They secured the borders for one - the population was safe from the influx of foreigners. Secondly there was a strong police force which hunted down criminals with the same vigour as they hunted down political activists and militants. There were hospitals, clinics, schools, universities, newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, roads, rail links, air travel etc for the black population too - just that proportionately less money was spent on the black population than on the white. However, despite that the life expectancy in apartheid SA for black people was higher than in free African states.

To say ZERO services is revisionist history and not true at all.

But Peter, there are TV stations and radio stations today? You pay millions in tax money (which could be better spent on many other basic services) to bail them out. I'm surprised you don't know about them?

 

[SmartKit]

SA was not a UTOPIA back then but it wasn't Auschwitz either, nor was it as bad as many African states post independence. The picture was gray and I agree with you that the blacks deserve(d) freedom like the rest of us. The idea however is not to revise history but to say how it really was. Apartheid was immoral but it wasn't also as immoral or bad as the leadership of many an African country at the time.

Unfortunately you had to live in Uganda or Sierre Leone to truly appreciate what the Nationalists actually did despite their reservations. Had they not been so vigilant in their border patrols I assure you many people would have been begging for Apartheid lifestyles. The ANC fought an ideal, not really a way of life judging by their current apathy.

On a side note: it is believed that throughout history a system of inequality known a monarchy (including a full blown feudal system) has been on of the most popular and beneficial systems. Which just goes to show that people actually don't know what it best for them.

 

[hawker]

Are you at least trying to get out? I hope so..

No, why would I want to get out? I am a South African, I want to a be a part of its future.

 

[Vrotappel]

South Africa was a utopia back then. Damn these blacks for revolting against the goodhearted white government.

Sarcasm?

 

[Frankie]

lol

Except for the little fact that they provided zero services to the majority of the population.

Wouldn't it be nice if the "majority of the population" worked and paid for these services - if the Zim's can find work, why cant they?

 

[Nothxkbi]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Protesters-burn-down-clinic-20100604

Seriously, at where does this end? Or do they just intend on burning everything, and then moan because there's nothing left?

Let me get this straight. You burn down your local clinic, thus rendering all their services invalid and neutralized, because you are protesting the clinics services in a hope of improving the clinics services? Can anybody please fill me in here but, how is a clinic supposed to improve their services when they are burned down?

 

[hawker]

Same story with the trains. Protest at the fact that the trains run late/too expensive/strike too much or whatever. Set fire to the train, that will make the trains even later, even more expensive. Don't underestimate the stupidity of people in large groups.

 

[ponder]

Who said there was any logic involved here?

Looking for a reason is a waste of time.

 

[PeterCH]

Let me get this straight. You burn down your local clinic, thus rendering all their services invalid and neutralized, because you are protesting the clinics services in a hope of improving the clinics services? Can anybody please fill me in here but, how is a clinic supposed to improve their services when they are burned down?

When you burn down the local clinic you are completely without services. The government must then step in and build a new clinic which will fare no better but the protesters have demonstrated their anger. Sort of like a customer who is disappointed with a purchase brings it back and says "You can keep this piece of .... !"

 

[porchrat]

When you burn down the local clinic you are completely without services. The government must then step in and build a new clinic which will fare no better but the protesters have demonstrated their anger. Sort of like a customer who is disappointed with a purchase brings it back and says "You can keep this piece of .... !"

More like a customer who is disappointed with a purchase and then sets the item on fire and demands a better version at no extra cost. What company in their right mind is actually going to grant such a request?

 

[PeterCH]

More like a customer who is disappointed with a purchase and then sets the item on fire and demands a better version at no extra cost. What company in their right mind is actually going to grant such a request?

Replace customer with shareholder and you'll see. The ANC fed BS to these people and taught them about 'armed struggle' - now they have to contend with the blowback.

 

[porchrat]

Replace customer with shareholder and you'll see. The ANC fed BS to these people and taught them about 'armed struggle' - now they have to contend with the blowback.

Even if I replace the word "customer" with "shareholder" the scenario still doesn't make sense.

Problem is I don't understand what these people think this is going to accomplish? All they are doing is making it harder to supply services.

Do they not understand the damage they are doing to the country?

 

[PeterCH]

Even if I replace the word "customer" with "shareholder" the scenario still doesn't make sense.

The ANC taught the populance that ARMED STRUGGLE and civil disobedience were the ways to put their grievances on the table in the 70s-early 90s. What will angry shareholders do?
They'll protest. If not pacified they may call for a new board. Don't want that now, eh?
So again replace protest with civil disobedience/armed struggle (the methods of protest) and you have what we have here. They protest by destroying. That's what they've been taught - that's what many of the great heroes did. Who would you emulate?

Problem is I don't understand what these people think this is going to accomplish? All they are doing is making it harder to supply services.

Do they not understand the damage they are doing to the country?

If I don't have, you may not have either.

 

[Mila]

Criminals.

 

[Sting]

Criminals.

And they should be treated as such!

 

[Frankie]

Criminals.

And they should be treated as such!

No chance that the electorate will be treated as such (like criminals) .