In a week dominated by ECG leader Prophet Shephered Bushiri and his wife Mary’s escape from the law to avoid answering to money laundering, fraud and theft charges, Dr Robert Ngwenya points out why black people could be falling to scams and possible fraud.
Any intentional or deliberate act to deprive another of property or money by guile, deception or other unfair means fits into the description of fraud.
Until we empower our people, until we act quickly and allow for a total transformation of our economy, our people will forever fall for any scheme which promises them miracles, unexplainable quick returns and schemes that are designed to defraud them the little they have.
In the last weeks we watched with dismay as thousands of people gather in protest outside the High court in Pretoria frantically praying and cursing cars belonging to law enforcement agencies. We read posters and placards written “Release our Papa and Mama”, “Fire”, “Our Papa is innocent”, ” No Major1, No Vote” etcetera. It is these scenes which made one’s heart sink into the stomach. It reflected nothing but how we have misgoverned our people to a point of them relying on a man with a bible than themselves and their government.
In fact, it was shocking that they did not even realize that by declaring “No Major 1, No vote”, they were literally saying they would rather not have their voices (through the ballot) heard for as long as a man they regard as their spiritual father remains incarcerated.
Senzeni, what have we done to our people. What have we not done or not doing which has lead our people to totally stop thinking and rely on false hope and invest their all in spiritual matters?
Do our political leaders still inspire confidence in our people? Do our people, as we promise them a better life look at us and believe that they indeed will, in their life time, achieve economic emancipation?
I submit that until we stop politicizing morality and decide to moralize politics, our people shall forever fall for scammers who have mastered the the art of moralizing and spiritualizing fraud. The scammers will land in this country from anywhere in the world, do wrong in broad day light and our people shall see nothing wrong with their acts as long as we, as business, as politicians and community leaders do not stand up and give hope, real hope to our people.
Until morality, like it was before politics went hand in hand with levers of government power, is rein stilled in the leaders we elect and endorse, we shall have fugitives of law like Bushiri leading our people.
All over Social media, we read with shock how our people approve the sneaking out of Bushiri and his wife out of this country illegally. They see nothing wrong that the couple has committed crime by just violating their bail conditions. They see this as no crime because morality seems to reside with the ones carrying a bible and not those who govern.
The time has arrived for our leaders, for us to have a conference with our inner-selves and ask ourselves difficult questions and one of them should be.. Are we not misgoverning our people to a point that we render them gullible and open to fraudsters who come to them with a better message?
Until we, not only denounce leadership immortality and corruption, but lead our people with the care they deserve, our nation will perish in front of us.
We shall have nation whose only reason for living is to be entertained, consume alcohol and falsehoods. We shall have, in the absence of money, a nation of nyaope sniffers and all other cheap drugs. Yes, when we done, discouraged and disgruntled, we shall be a nation spending our lives in a building shouting,… “I RECIEVE” every Sunday.
We deserve better. We can do better. Our leaders, the ones who came before us gave rivers of their own blood for us to live better. The least we can do, in reciprocating their sacrifices, is to lead our people into prosperity and dignity.
