Murder and brutal attacks have become a common occurrence in South Africa. The concept of “mob justice” has created the impression that there is a form of justice other than that dispensed by courts.
Well then if its “justice”, how do you explain people trouncing other people, setting them alight, beating them with a concrete beam, cutting off their breasts so that they can’t suckle their new born babies? Is it really justice or just a community seeking vengeance? Or maybe has the word justice lost its meaning?
I’ll tell you what; an unjust scenario is when a suspect is apprehended by community members after an offence is committed, when the suspect is stoned, instead of being taken to the police.
But is the community really to blame, when their actions are occasioned by their lack of confidence in the country’s criminal justice system? When the minister of safety and security bareley addresses the issue? When the community try to defend the innocents of a rural village by means of ‘sentencing’ a known rapist in a “bush court”? Orshould we blame the state for its ignorance? Guess the answer is still a mystery.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not condoning vigilantism here but empathising with these poor people who feel they can’t rely on the government and police to fight crime. Due to our experiences as citizens, we have accepted an attitude that says reporting crime through justice system has failed us.
But no matter what they’ve done, would you really want to live with murder on your hands for the rest of you life? Is there a true justification for mob justice? Aren’t there other ways to deal with criminality and vigilantism? Do we really need to take law into our hands? Is this “justice” the answer or just the problem itself? What happened to humanity?
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH when the people have spoken!
Yeah but what do you suggest be done?
ReplyDeleteit would have been nyc if you had told the story from both sides because now u are clearly taking one side
ReplyDeleteawesome..you're growing.There is no excuse for treating other humen beings like that,they are our brothers and sisters,the ones we'd seek shelter to during apartheid..ring any bells?Just put yourselves in their shoes guys then give me a reason why you think someone has the right to end another humen being's life!
ReplyDelete@cia, the government needs to consider such issues, like i said, its their ignorance that has led the citizens this far, but even if it's their ignorance, who are we to convict other ppl?. @ sindi, i don't thnk am taking sides here, bt am simply stating facts as to why the citizens act the way they do. @ x-marks, thnx homie :), u r8 tho, who are we really to trounce and convict our own brothers. however this will never end if the state continues being ignorant.
ReplyDelete