Where’s our intelligence?

Following a crazy marathon press conference held by the loopy Hlaudi Motsoeneng recently, I kept asking myself this question: What does the fact that a raving lunatic can captivate public attention for three hours say about us as South Africans?

It is baffling how he has us under his spell. Most of the country believes that if Motsoeneng passed by Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital – which, incidentally, is about 20km from his home – he would be seized by staff and immediately given accommodation. From there, he would be free to hold court and preach to his fellow residents to his heart’s content.

But we, the sane, still listen to his rantings in our homes and offices.