IT was most distressing to see on TV Grade 1 pupils sitting in the hot sun outside a small school in Tsolo, sweat pouring down their faces and with only a small amount of water to refresh them during break. Why are people accepting such conditions for their young children who should be under cover in a classroom, with desks and seats?
This state of affairs is shocking and is but one of many so-called schools throughout the country that are not meeting constitutional obligations and which the ANC government seems to care little about – 20 years down the road to "a better life for all".
The mind boggles that so many people in our country pay homage to the ANC and President Jacob Zuma at every public occasion by cheering and assenting to all the promises and other gibberish that flows from the smooth-talking politicians' mouths.
When will the majority realise that what was once a noble-minded liberation movement, spearheaded mainly by our dear late Madiba, has disintegrated into a corrupt, self-serving and power-hungry organisation which detests criticism, opposition and anything that may interfere with the prodigal lifestyles of its members and leaders?
The only fear they have is of being ousted from their positions of privilege and then having to face the wrath of the millions of poor, politically-abused people who have suffered depredation – of job losses, of dismal education and health facilities, poor or even shocking lack of services which includes decent housing and sanitation, to name but a few of the complaints that have led to almost daily protests in various parts of the country and which are to be witnessed on our TV screens and those around the world.
We are sick and tired of hearing Zuma muttering platitudes of "We must create jobs, we must grow the economy, we must close the gap between rich and poor...blah blah".
We need someone to stand up and refute all the promises, the hyperbole and rhetoric uttered every day on TV, on radio, in the newspapers and now in election gatherings all over the country – and tell the oh-so-trusting masses the truth about the state of our country: that our currency's value is falling so fast that soon the R10 note won't be worth the paper it is printed on!
While the ANC's tripartite alliance partner, Cosatu, can be held responsible for most of the job losses due to businesses, industry and farms cutting back on labour, mechanising or simply closing doors and moving to other countries that are more investor-friendly, our rand grows weaker and everyone becomes poorer.
While the SACP, as the third arm of the ANC, pulls strings in the background, the ANC legislates policies that are anti-business and anti-job creation, Cosatu ensures that it "brings the country to its knees" with every strike action it throws at the nation!
Cosatu has been shouting for a ban on labour brokers, for a foolish reason that goes down like a lump of lead, yet it is the labour brokers who are helping many families to put bread on the table. So what are people voting for when they vote ANC: no jobs at all?
Also Zuma pleads innocence to every misdemeanour or outrage that he has committed.
The R206-million Nkandla "innocence and ignorance", the "Guptagate" affair and the arms deal saga that still awaits his brash "day in court" have not been forgotten nor should they.
Like a fish rotting from the head down, Zuma leads a regime that is corrupt and obsessed with power that nullifies the ANC claim that it is anti-capitalist and pro-poor.
Every vote for the ANC is an endorsement of its destructive policies.
We must not allow ourselves to be sweet-talked, charmed or bought into continuing the rule of the ANC tripartite alliance.
The onus is on each one of us to get ourselves out of the mess created by these dwellers in the land of Mammon – the ANC – if it is not already too late!
M Riordan-Bull, Kleinmond