It’s sad that every year, particularly during the winter season, we always complain about the flooded shacks. I hope those who contemplate invading land will now think twice.
We know that the country has a housing backlog challenge, but that does not give anyone the right to transgress the law.
It can’t be correct for people to erect their shacks on a wetland or pond and cry foul when it rains.
People must learn to man-up for their decisions. It’s irritating when people create the mess, then point fingers when things do not go according to their plans.
We’ve seen people illegally occupying land and fighting with the officers when they try to remove them. It is even more irritating when the very same people take the government to court in a quest to justify their actions.
We know that most informal settlements, especially in the province, were built against the law.
The question is, why were they built on wetlands or in a pond?
By nature humans are able to distinguish between right and wrong. Why can’t these people see that they are building on a wetland or pond and it’s not suitable for residential purposes.
On the other hand, we have community leaders who support their actions because they are power hungry.
Instead of engaging with them constructively and trying to show them the disadvantages or the danger of their actions, they stand with them. It has become the norm in this country whenever we approach the elections to see service-delivery protests. People will vandalise and destroy the same facilities that are meant for their benefit.
There is nothing wrong with fighting for your rights, but people must use the right channels to fight them.
