Manipulation by violence now the norm

LAST week thousands of commuters were again left stranded as taxi operators went on strike with regard to a dispute with the Department of Transport.

Traffic police impounded roughly 200 taxis over the Easter weekend for operating without correct permits.

The taxi operators, however, accuse the department of dragging its feet when it comes to issuing permits.

During the protest action, roads were blocked and in one case shots were fired.

The now traditional burning of tyres, accompanying acrid black smoke, rock-strewn roads and violence have become a poor postcard image of South Africa’s democracy.

It remains a sad reflection of our society that we seemingly cannot successfully negotiate issues with government entities in a mature manner.

Disputes inevitably lead to juvenile tactics of flying bricks, but perhaps one must first understand the many facets of our demographics.

For some, it is easy to find logic in leaving thousands of the hard-pressed workforce without a paddle on a weekday morning.

Others are more inclined to find the practice of violent protests not only disruptive, but a clear message of contempt to government: ‘We can force you to do what we want, even if you don’t like it.’

A perception has taken hold that the bigger the disruption, the faster the response from government, especially during an election year when public opinion accounts for plenty in the electoral ballot box.

The sheer number of protests in 2016 alone points to a culture of manipulation by violence, an environment where the electorate is actually controlling key issues of governance by simply applying rules from the ‘Anarchists’ Cookbook’.

This is healthy democracy, some say, freedom of speech being a cornerstone of any great constitution.

But the process of failed talks, protests and eventually costly compromise does not only have a severe economic spin-off, but also a more worrying implication.

Why our our authorities, in essence, failing to be proactive when dealing with contentious issues?

Taxi drivers waiting for permits might seem inconsequential, but for the hundreds stranded at taxi and bus ranks, and for those late for important meetings as they waited for roadways to be cleared, it certainly wasn’t.