Johannesburg - Poverty, desperation and greed have one thing in common. They can make man do unspeakable things.
Like setting another on fire. Like murdering a string of women, dismembering them and dumping their bodies in shallow graves. Synonymous to how demons in hell behave. Just how far are we from animals? Humans trapped in a thought trail of a hallow cave.
The locals say it's the illegal immigrants. Immigrants say the locals are baying for their blood.
Flood gates are open. Like gaping wounds from fatal hacks with axes. Lethal hexes from wizards and witches vying for children's body parts. Survival is ugly.
For South Africans frustration with corruption, crime, and unemployment breeds resentment. Resentment births violence.
Ubuntu is merely a word when people are starving.
It is like democracy, like equality. They are just words when you are faced with the barrel of a stolen gun wielded by a malnourished, shaky hand at the grasp of an itchy trigger finger. And the contents in your pocket will most probably temporarily scratch the itch until the next victim around the corner.
When Joburg was burning from the inside out following a tunnel fire that saw a week-long outage in the area, it was a sign of the flames brewing in our core.
The electricity outage was a symbol of the darkness that lurks within this city, this province, this country, continent, the world.
Ubuntu becomes a weapon when hunger pangs are piercing, but crime is not committed only by the poor.
The desperate aren't only the poor.
The greedy can't be the poor.
Ubuntu is merely a word when politicians are greedy.
When they pocket monies to the detriment of citizens while spewing substandard delivery of basic services by the government departments.
The infrastructure is crumbling and the people have begun a purge.
The violence has no end. Once all the immigrants are gone, the war will be tribal.
What becomes of human rights when humans barely act right?
Government dependency is an unfortunate fact. Hunger is not an excuse. Survival is not a reason.
But they are all by-products of the murky climate.
And the smell of murder masking the natural mystic blowing in the air.
We are going to squeeze water out of a rock before we can define fair.
It takes a very high level of composure to remain impartial and just.
Unemployment, government control, homelessness, corruption, self-loathing, empty promises by politicians, short-sightedness, economic exclusion and living conditions that breed criminals are sometimes more of a problem than crime itself.
Poverty, desperation and greed have one thing in common with LOVE. Love can lead you to making illogical decisions.
There is something loving about hearing Bruno Mars say I'd catch a grenade for you.
"The Neurobiology of Love," by Semir Zeki found that the area of the brain associated with judgement stops working when someone is in love.
High levels of dopamine are released during attraction. These chemicals make us energetic and euphoric. The lesson here is love thy neighbour, but love yourself more.