Opinion - Usually, my columns are peppered with a bit of humour to lighten sometimes serious topics. It makes a hard message a bit more palatable.
However, with events recently affecting the community, there is very little to be jovial about.
Our lives and that of our families are being held to ransom by cowardly criminal elements.
We are already beleaguered by constant fear of hijacking every time we venture out of our driveways with our motor vehicles.
Added to that is the new scourge of our cars being targets of stone-throwing villains. People have died. The vermin are running free.
We cannot drive under a bridge without fear and apprehension.
What kind of mentality does it take to deliberately want to maim and kill a fellow human?
It begs the question: were we not all born equal? Imbued with qualities by the Creator to love and cherish our fellow beings?
Please do not feel the following is me preaching religion to you. Hopefully you will see my point.
I grew up in a home where my dad was a devout Christian and my mom was a staunch Hindu.
Growing up and schooling in central Durban, my neighbours, friends and school mates were either Muslim or Gujarati.
So, basically, I was exposed to all our major religions.
The one thing I can confidently say is that no religion teaches hatred, violence or killing. So where have people like these rock-throwers learnt their evil ways?
Motorists are hijacked and many are killed even though they surrender their hard-earned property to evil scum.
What is the reason for being so vicious even though they got what they wanted? Is that extra gratification? Surely that is diabolical?
What about the sometimes disgusting goings-on after a serious accident?
While the severely traumatised victim is in shock and still in his wrecked vehicle, human vultures rob him of his personal valuables like his cellphone and wallet. How more low can people go?
The edition of this newspaper a week ago covered the story of a motorist who took the off-ramp to Eldorado Park in Johannesburg.
He drove into a cement block that was placed on the road. He was forced to stop his vehicle as his tyre was wrecked.
A second motorist suffered the same fate seconds later. Both drivers were then waylaid by robbers. Just as they tried to regain composure a second wave of mobsters rushed toward them.
Terrified, the drivers fled into nearby bushes. From their hiding place they painfully watched their vehicles being trashed, windows smashed and contents being ransacked.
Possessions they toiled hard for, being rendered useless. When did humanity become so ruthless?
Who has the right to dispossess someone of their assets and use brute force in doing so too?
Last week we all awoke to the heart-breaking news of the young Durban North girl, Siam Lee.
She had gone missing for a while and her body was found on a farm in New Hanover.
Her corpse was found burnt. Shocking revelations surfaced thereafter about her alleged private life.
However, whatever blows life dealt her as a young lady and whatever her life course was, no one had the right to murder her and that too in such a horrific way. Who gives a person a licence to kill?
Why is this world gone so crazy? I have asked so many questions thus far, let us try and get some answers.
This is my personal take on the issues. I believe man in general has moved far away from religion.
In other words, God has become a distant acquaintance.
You know He is there, but you give Him scant attention. Greed, materialism and selfishness have taken over man’s psyche.
The worship of self has replaced God worship. Ego has become the biggest three letter word around.
When our forebears arrived in this country and found places to settle down in, they had two priorities.
When new areas like Chatsworth and then Phoenix were demarcated for Indian habitation and communities began building up, the same two priorities held precedence to the people.
A place of education and a place of worship.
It’s because of grounding like that we have achieved tremendous success in most fields.
We prioritised learning and revering God was non-negotiable.
Somewhere along the way some have lost perspective.
Let’s make it our duty to once again restore these values in our families and friends if they are lacking. Get back to God.
Apology for using a cliché, but strong families make strong communities.
Strong communities can contribute to making a strong nation.
If we, in even a small way, can make a difference in this world, it can go a long way in fostering love, kindness and good human relationships.
May God bless you and your family and keep you safe in these uncertain times.