We will ask questions about CAR

By Ntsako Shivambu

I am one of those so-called clever blacks who believe you are a tribalist, a traditionalist and a clueless politician that doesn’t have any leadership skills. But the reason I’m writing this letter is not to talk about that but what you said during the memorial service for the soldiers who died in the Central African Republic — that we all want to run the country. Yes indeed we want to run it because our tax money is involved.

You forget that we are shareholders who yearn for dividends — better service and accountability by those who use our money.

Mr President, if our investment does not bare good dividends we will irritate you and ask you questions. We will question every decision you take. We will question your governance because you’re not representing yourself but the masses. When the world refers to South Africa they include us. Your behaviour and how you conduct yourself is how the world views us.

Mr President do you want us to keep quiet when our money is used to protect warlords and dictators? Do you want us to keep quiet when you use our money in Nkandla? Do you want us to keep quiet when police officers murder civilians and are let free by the courts.

Sorry Mr President we shall ask you and question you as long as you thrive on our tax money. Let me remind you that you are the president of a country, not a village where the subjects have no say and only the chief has power.

I hope this is one of those cases where the words were lost in translation and you didn’t mean what you were saying. English is not our language.