MyPE

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How Did We Lose Our Pride?

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Do you feel the same rush of love and pride for South Africa as you do for your offspring when your children wish you Happy Father’s Day?

Has your outlook on South Africa changed significantly to the negative?

Who do you look up to?

Would you die for your family?

Would you die for your country?

I am sure that there was a time when you would have said yes to dying for South Africa. Can you remember the motivation for feeling so passionately about a land and it’s people? Why did you lose that motivation?

Was it when you realised that you and I are but pawns in a bigger game of survival?

How did you feel when your elected leaders let you down time after time?

Do you believe the messages that political and business leaders present to us are ‘The Truth’?

How do you propose that we fix this?

Indulge me as we look at a microcosm of the above – our present political landscape in Nelson Mandela Bay and what I have dubbed the ‘Circle of Chaos’.

In a Nutshell:

The day when we turned the ‘noble’ calling of Politicians and Civil Servants into a Multi Billion Rand industry was the day that we lost our pride and innocence.

We have taken a process that was originally designed to choose the right person to serve us and twisted it in such a way that these people can take money and use that to get elected. Just like our justice system – those with money avoid prosecution and jail, whilst those without rot in jail.

AND that is where I find myself in a dilemma – do I throw money at the problem? Problem? Yup, I find myself in a Ward won by over 90% of the vote by one party. Any party with such a majority will throw campaign money at retaining the Ward if they feel any threat.

OR – do I trust in my core supporters slowly spreading the word that I have come through a baptism of fire and service to my fellow man? Community Service is a special thing – it demands little ego, but high profile; it demands humility, but a special kind of pride; it demands service, but not servitude.

Have a look at any of our local politicians and ask yourself; “Is this person proud of Gqeberha? Does this person put citizens before self? Am I proud of this person being my Ward Councillor (even if I did not vote for them)?”

I would like to see every single Ward Councillor making decisions based on the following:

  1. Is it according to the wishes of my constituents?
  2. Is it good for my City

Most importantly the Ward Councillors, who are at the coalface of local politics, need to vote according to “what is good for ALL of us” and NOT based on “what is good for the party political line” – after all isn’t our democracy based on individual freedom of expression?

Ward 7 Independent Councillor

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.