What We Learned

What We Learned

June 7th, 2020 by richardjmann

It’s been said before. We learn most from the difficult times. We’ve certainly learned from this crisis what really matters in life - cigarettes and booze. Like one of our famous sons of the soil, some of us were probably ready to kill (or is it die?) for the cause. We learned, instead, to wheel and deal like hardened Black Market School of Business graduates.

Then there were those tireless, focused people, for whom no task was too menial - the food parcel thieves. Consistent to the end. The challenge for them may be what to steal next, as they limbo their way to new depths.

I thought our president started out well and decisively with the lockdown. It just wouldn’t be us though, if the irresistible call of comedy wasn’t answered by some of our leaders. I’m sure many smokers gasped with merriment at the ‘gotcha’ game one of our ministers played. The subsequent torturing of argument, reason and logic (some cynics said truth, too) must surely have provided much sorely needed comic relief.

The torturing of South Africans didnt. Some policemen and soldiers showed us what they’re really good at. It has nothing to do with their actual jobs and plenty to do with the sort of stuff that keeps psychiatrists busy. Maybe a revisiting of recruitment and basic training, dear ministers? Especially for the officers. I am open to putting in a tender. Like some comrades, Love To Tender ranks among my favourite Elvis hits.

I do hope that the honourable members learned that far more is at at stake than scoring points of order. The future can bite one’s backside quite fiercely when one trifles with the allowance called the present.

We learned too, that, many South Africans are made of finer stuff. Even the grubby food parcel kleptos can’t diminish that. There’s hope.