Don’t criticise Parliament-storming students – praise them

Tuning in for yesterday’s Mini Budget provided far more excitement than any of us had bargained for. After 45 minutes of chanting and general stirring by red-overalled EFF members inside the House, the nation watched in fascination as hundreds of university students took on riot police as they tried to storm the doors of Parliament itself.

Although it all looked rather wild and emotional, the student reaction was actually completely rational. Possessed of the bullet-proof idealism of youth, the modern Ikeys were simply doing what generations of their predecessors have done before.

They gave a public face to the frustration many South Africans are feeling towards the Zuma Administration – an elite whose Blue Light brigades, Gucci bags and private jets have caused them to lose touch with on-the-ground reality.

Older generations love to criticise indiscipline of the young. This time, best they bite their collective tongue. On reflection, they are sure to be grateful that, at last, someone is publicly venting the national frustration at corruption, incompetence and mismanagement.

Storming the gates of Parliament grabs the attention a lot more effectively than whining at dinner parties.

@Dick_Muller @alechogg I remember those days so well

— crimolynnogy (@crimolynnogy) October 22, 2015

From Biznews community member David Mordant

You may be right Alec, but from ultra politically and socially correct Canada, it looks ugly, especially the red bedecked MP’s seemingly behaving in a most unparliamentary manner. Why invest in RSA with this sort of message being relayed to the world? And heaven knows, RSA like everywhere else, needs foreign direct investment.

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