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Stop blaming others!

Mmakola wa Bolsheviks wrote an article on 21 May 2015, and made some statements, that quite a few people applauded, without seeing the glaring misconceptions inherent in that article.

Mmakola wrote, "Yes, the majority in the country can now vote, some houses have been built, famously or infamously called RDP Housing, and some other small and miniscule changes have been made, but in the end the only thing that really changed is that the majority can now vote."

Not true. Anybody can now get a decent education, at a decent school, as long as you pay, something that was denied the disadvantaged pre-1990, but performed by the advantaged, then and now. Burning a school down does not count as recognition of prior learning or experience.

Anyone can go into any Government building and stand in any line now, and not be denied service based on the colour of their skin or their status in the community. Of course, that also implies that the Civil Servants are prepared to actually help you.

Anyone can live anywhere they like in South Africa, as long as they can afford it, much like the advantaged had to do pre-1990.

Anyone can get a job and not be denied the chance due to their skin colour. Of course, that also implies that you study hard, and work hard to get experience, much like the advantaged pre-1990 had to do.

Everyone is entitled to the same level of medical care in the country. Assuming that one is prepared to accept poorly administrated health systems as the money was spent building a palace and travelling to Russia.

Anyone can vote for the party of their choice to carry their own best interests forward. Of course, that also implies that the vote cast is done with a bit of thought beyond a KFC box and a T-Shirt. Much like the advantaged did pre-1990 (and specifically did in 1992).

Everyone has equal access to the judicial system, no matter what their hue is. Of course, that implies that the judicial system works, from the SAPS through the legal and court system, on to the Correctional Services system.

Mmakola wrote further, "Voters need to realize that it is their vote that they cast that can bring about change – if you don’t agree with what the ruling party is doing, then vote against them but NEVER EVER abstain from voting, as a vote not cast is a vote in favour of the ruling party and it is exactly that ruling party where only certain individuals have becomes millionaires or even trillionaires and the masses remain poor, indigent, unemployed, starving and infected with HIV/AIDS which would ultimately cause their death."

Why would the masses remain poor? Is this a rule, or can each and every one of them work hard, study hard, and make something of themselves? If even just one person could do it in the past, then that proves that this is not a rule.

Is the reference to indigent people an allusion to homeless, or just another synonym for poor people? If it is as I suspect referring to homeless people, then one should be careful about placing that at any specific party's door. Homelessness is a universal problem, caused by a multitude of factors, including global economics, and of course exacerbated by uncontrolled population growth.

For unemployed and starving masses, refer to the previous two paragraphs. I would like to pint out however that a brand new cell-phone and flash shoes are not vital necessities of life. A person can also counter starvation by not spending R10 on an airtime voucher but rather on food. Priorities.

Infected by HIV/AIDS? Why is this anyone's fault except the person whose own behaviour caused the infection (and please, don't quote unintended infections such as those infected through medical duties or bad transfusions, those are such a low statistic in the general infected population).

I am no fan of the current ruling party, but I think that blaming others for one's own inability to actually do something about your own lot in life is a bit disingenuous. Sure, the ANC has a lot to answer for, but then the masses as Mmaklo so blithely calls the currently disadvantaged people did vote the ANC into power.

Yes, I was previously advantaged prior to 1990. When I cast my first vote in 1992, I did so realising why I voted to change the system. I accepted that change would come about, and I accepted that I may be disadvantaged later (which I was for a while, but that's another story altogether). But at no time have I ever just sat back, bewailed my terrible lot in life, and blamed someone else. And that is the gist of Mmakola's article.

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