Share

Friends & Friction: It’s time to be angry at our leaders

It is the curse of the Third World, it seems: leaders who are incapable of making good decisions.

Last week, US President Donald Trump made a deal to kick-start what some analysts call the Sunni Muslim Nato aimed at creating a deadly Cold War against Shia Muslims.

This is adding fuel to the fire, and the result will be more refugees escaping from their warring countries.

It would serve Saudi Arabia a vast wealth of good if it invested that money in the health and education of its people and made the Middle East a better place to live in.

Well, weapons of war have a trickle-down effect. They tend to reach unintended places and kill unintended victims. Anyone who exports arms needs to live with the fact that they will find a way back into their country, either physically or as vengeful hatred.

The fate of these Middle Eastern arms has nothing to do with fighting Islamic fundamentalism.

Trump, in his inimitably dumb frankness, said it was about “jobs, jobs, jobs”.

Why can’t the leaders of the Third World wish the same for their own people?

It is this curse-like flawed thinking that keeps those who are born in the developing countries in their shackles.

Brazil, which just a few years ago was a strong partner in the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) association of countries, is now crumbling.

Parliament decided to impeach and remove a democratically elected president, Dilma Rousseff, on trumped up charges.

Under the unelected incumbent, Michel Temer, the country is on fire, and he has told the world that he won’t resign, and the people can oust him if they want to.

He is keeping himself in power by rolling out the big guns on the streets.

We know first-hand as South Africans how irreplaceable lost time is, and that a whole generation pays for it.

Last week, Africa Day passed, and although there has been a little progress, when we are alone, away from the judging light of Afro-pessimists, we can’t help but accept the poor state of our continent.

The rampant looting of our state resources is denying black children the opportunity to have a decent life so only a few can own posh houses in the international oases of decadence.

They’re everywhere in the Third World – the Philippines, India, Pakistan, to mention but very few – the alcoholics of power who make life in their countries unbearable.

Activists always blame the West for the troubles of the Third World, but if you look at their statements, you can pick up a tinge of condescension, a deep-seated belief that the leaders of the Third-Rate World do not know what is bad for them.

I blame the people of the Third World.

They don’t get angry enough.

They have outsourced their lives to the mercy-givers, and they relish the crumbs as if they were dessert.

It’s time to be angry; to be angry at ourselves for accepting mediocrity in all its forms. It’s time to be angry at our leadership that puts its luxuries ahead of the survival of the people.

It’s time to be angry at wastefulness and bad government policies that spew our youth into the streets and condemn our children to being beggars in the streets.

We should spit at the blue-lights brigade, which is the symbol of our dispossession.

However, we shouldn’t dwell on our anger because, if prolonged, it will destroy our self-confidence. We should accept that in this cold, cold world, our leaders in the Third World have been captured, and we need to overturn that.

Kuzwayo is the founder of Ignitive, an advertising agency

Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter:

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.87
+0.3%
Rand - Pound
23.85
+0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.38
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.31
+0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders