The Fourth Estate, South Africa

Some time ago, there was a TV news item on the activities of Operation Dudula. Behind the anchor, in large lettering, the word XENOPHOBIA.

I foolishy thought that the business of the news media was to pursue the truth relentlessly. Audi alterem partem (hear both sides) and all that. Investigation and interview before conclusion. How singularly dull of me. I apologize. One punctuation mark would have made the difference, namely, XENOPHOBIA? Ah, these damned subtleties.

Taken alone, this little incident begs some questions. Wait, there's more. 

A reporter asks the minister of Home Affairs if he will resign, following calls from an 'anti-xenophobia' organization. In the book of Inane Questions Asked By Journalists, this one must feature as a 'gem of purest ray serene'. The minister quite rightly laughs. He briefly marvels at the level of chutzpah that makes such a call in a sovereign, foreign country. 

“When all of them are in jail‚ locked in and the keys have been thrown away‚ then I will step down — only then.”

Another link in this curious chain. The minister visits Diepsloot after the murder of a man, reportedly of Zimbabwean origin. This, according to reports, came after the  murders of seven Diepsloot residents.This peculiar exchange takes place (as reported):

Journalist: Mr Motsoaledi, do you take ownership of what has happened here in Diepsloot? Someone has died.

Mr Motsoaledi: No, Chriselda, people have died.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Are there dangers in the rise of organizations like Dudula? Let's call a spade a bloody digging implement. Yes. There are dangers, too, in a government that fails in its fundamental duties to law and order. Whose laissez faire approach to everything of importance drags their country to the edge of anarchy. There are dangers and evils in the doings of shallow news media. And news media who dance recklessly and heedlessly to to the tunes of paid pipers unknown.

Judge for yourself.

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

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