I was lucky to be invited to the Mangaung Investment Summit 2025, and without doubt, it was well organised. Relevant points were discussed. The selection of speakers was top-class.
It was a golden opportunity for attendees to get familiar with some of the economic, industrial and technological developments in the province. A range of inventions and emerging ventures were interrogated, and the horizon of hope and optimism widened as we could all foresee trends of employment opportunities emerging from existing entrepreneurships, as well as new industrial innovations. One of the highlights of the event was the abundance of new innovative skills and expertise that the youth of the province have acquired from institutions of higher learning, locally and abroad. It was amazing, and out of that came a sense of aspirations, pride and patriotism. During the intervals, we brushed shoulders with top guns in various fields, such as academia, business gurus, experts and industrialists. Then came the anticipated crunch-time. The whole show became electrifying when the MECs, directors and HODs had to address the questions from the audience.
Most of the concerns were related to practical and doable mechanisms that only needed follow-through, application and implementation. Common and perpetual issues such as road conditions, potholes, lack of job opportunities, unemployment rate, the decaying Mangaung CBD, crime and lack of service delivery in general took centre stage. Some of the shortfalls regarding Mangaung were around the state of our heritage sites and lack of sporting facilities.
Without taking anything away or disparaging the efforts of the city council, I still harbour questions about the implementation of some of the promises that were made at that high-profile and inclusive platform. Through the eyes of a layperson and a loyal citizen, I have not seen improvements; only the sickening deterioration of the situation.
Then on 18 and 19 February this year, there was another gathering termed Safer City Indaba. I attended again although I felt despondent and decided not to attend on the second day.
Speaker after speaker and the panellists were vocal and addressing high technical devices planned to be installed in the city. The SAPS, Road and Traffic, as well as SANDF departments, were well represented by high-ranking officials. Academics from local higher education institutions were also participating. The premier, the executive mayor, and the Road and Traffic MEC and the others honoured the event. People from Thaba-Nchu and Botshabelo were also in attendance and were vocal when expressing their frustrations relative to safety in their areas.
Very conspicuous in their regalia were the CPFs and the community neighbourhood watch organisations. They were pleading for support, synergy and cooperation with the law enforcement agencies to play an effective role to curb crime.
I was trying to apply my mind and synthesise my stand and philosophy around the crime mayhem in our city and in the country. My point is, if our leaders and the powers that be are honest and determined to eradicate crime in our cities, towns and rural areas, efforts could be focused on concerted family-building initiatives. We have community-based neighbourhood watch agencies, men’s and women’s forums and youth organisations who are determined to run their movements without recognition, material and financial support. They are the ones who live with the crime perpetrators. They know them from birth. I am talking about people who have played a role in the nurturing and bringing up of this delinquent lot. They are or were at school with them, some taught them at school, some took them through the church classes. They welcome them into society when they come back from prisons or when they are on parole. When they go astray, indulge in liquor and drug abuse tendencies, when they succumb to prostitution and drop out of school, leave their homes to live in the streets, they come from homes and nowhere else. They do not just drop from obscurity. They were brought to this planet by people who were in a relationship. The gender-based violence and femicide happens in the neighbourhood where community members witness it day in and day out.
Perpetrators are therefore known and can be exposed and identified by the community. Our hope and endeavours against crime are logically doomed if we are going to focus on technical resources, staff increasing means, costly conferences, indabas and summits that address the symptoms and not the root causes.
The thrust should be on empowering and supporting the community who are affected by crime and determined to contribute towards nation-building, starting from the homes, surroundings, streets, sections, and the whole town or village.
High-profile officials should refrain from attending community forums – if they do – listen, take notes, make promises and then disappear thereafter.
The time has come to review and carry out a postmortem of all that has been done so far by government sectors in their endeavours to bring about some change, which is continuously eluding them. Time for the paradigm shift is now.
– Modise Rantsieng is an author and retired educator
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