Monday, May 3, 2010

Protest Within Reason


OVER the past few weeks there have been endless protests from Taxi drivers and unions over the proposed Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system and the Integrated Public Transport system brought in to compensate for commuters during the world cup. Taxi operators have taken umbrage at the low prices being offered by the new systems and the competition they offer through routes which have been monopolised by taxi operators for years.

First off I must say that the nature of the protests by taxi operators is completely unacceptable and deserves to be dealt with in the harshest manner possible under the law. To take issue with the system is fine as long as the protest is within reason and peaceful and respectful. The violence and disruption caused by the protesters was unnecessary and only served to further turn ordinary people against their cause and harden the resolve of the authorities.

I am strongly in favour of police firing rubber bullets where people fail to respect peaceful protest and firmly believe that stricter laws must be put in place to deal with transgressors. Extended prison terms and harsh fines are one of the means that must be installed in order to discourage the notion that waving sticks around and terrorising innocent people who are trying to go about their daily business is the best manner to change the minds of administrators who have taken time to put in place measures which improve the lives of ordinary people.

Despite the power of the many unions in this country, administrators and politicians should not be held hostage by those who believe that South Africa should follow left of centre communist economic policies. If this country were indeed communist then the state of the economy would be worse and the country’s standing in the world would probably be diminished. Evidence of this would be the RDP economic policy which fell flat in the early nineties when the ANC first came to power when redistribution of wealth was placed above productivity and encouraging foreign investment.

There is something within the South African psyche that creates the impression that violent protest is the only way to achieve change. This assumption is terribly wrong and where people transgress they must be punished within the ambit of the law. Tolerating protests that turn violent makes authorities look weak and portrays a poor image for the rest of the world. Despite what many unions think, this is not a communist state and competition exists and should be encouraged, equality will not be reached through allowing monopolies on certain market areas to grow.

It is unacceptable that taxi operators fired shots at a BRT bus carrying ordinary citizens last week and such actions deserve to be severely punished. Some of the tough talk emanating from the Police Ministry on crime needs to be directed at citizens who commit crimes whilst using justified protest as a cover for their irresponsible and unnecessary hoodlum behaviour.

Written by Tatenda Goredema, the Deputy Editor of Varsity Newspaper.