- Thuggery, once framed as resistance, now drains township families and communities.
- Politicians and officials mirror gangster tactics through corruption and tender fraud.
- Civility and inner calm may be the only path to reclaim humanity.
Township people have a love-hate relationship with thugs. For the longest time, they have been role models.
Even Black Consciousness exponents encouraged and supported thieves in the late 1980s. They propagated that AsiSpini eLokshini — go forth, to steal and rob from Whites that stole your land and control the economy. Don’t steal from the townships.
This permitted and justified Black thuggery. But the chickens have come home to roost. Blacks steal resources that are meant to improve the quality of life of their own families and communities.
Just like the Msomi Gang at Alexandra in the 1950s and 60s, there are gangs like Boko Haram in Mamelodi that extort protection fees from schools, SMMEs, malls, and other institutions in the townships. These thugs see and worship money and don’t know where to stop.
Thugs in the streets, thugs in the State
In fact, there is no difference between The Cat and the Ad Hoc Committee people who question him, if any. Think hard about it. We are all part of what Cornel West calls the gangsterisation of the economy. Everybody wants to benefit from an unequal and unjust economic system. Nobody is innocent.
For example, the politicians enjoy the high life at the expense of the people. Yet there is a lack of delivery across the spectrum. The State can do better. And the State has sponsored multimillionaire officials who are not satisfied and happy with their fat salaries. They steal and manipulate tenders, among other things.
A bleak future and the search for inner strength
So, it is quite confusing. We have to resolve this love-hate relationship with thugs. One can only hope and pray that The Cat will help us find ourselves, to clarify how we want to survive in this unjust economic system.
It looks like we are all thugs. No one is innocent. Perhaps the future looks bleak. We have all become part of the economic system that we fought against. We are The Establishment. May God and the ANCestors help us all.
For me, I find it difficult to be enraged. For peace of mind, I believe gentleness, understanding, and civility will make one more human. What gives me the authority to judge? I am not God.
Therefore, the nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer I will come to God and reclaim my inner strength. These are difficult times for us all.
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