Security. What security? What IS security?
Police sirens sound (not too unfamiliar), and stop right here, and then many
more. Police mini buses, vans and other vehicles, some with red and orange
flashing lights besides the blue ones. I counted seven vehicles from my
vantage point. They storm the premises with guns drawn..
A bystander tells me that a large group of Schubart Park evacuees who have
not yet been accommodated have attempted to force their way in to the
residences of those who have been granted the accommodation, demanding that
they be given preference. According to the bystander, the group consisted of
Nigerians (or is that becoming a common term for "foreigners"?).
This incident occurred in spite of high palisade fences topped with barbed
wire, with security guards (yes, more than one) at the entrance. Police
responded, security guards from nearby also became involved. Is that
security? Are we really secure if that is what we need?
While I attempted to focus on the work at hand, racing against time, during
all this commotion, I felt myself playing a tug of war with a mix of
different emotions. There is just too much "noise" at the moment...
Even as I write, I feel I cannot take any more time to explore these
emotions now because of pressures to meet work deadlines, but unless I
capture the essence of the events, they might continue to puncture my day,
or should I say, my desire for a peaceful day?
Suffice to say that, like many Schubart Park residents might have asked
themselves some time ago, when the degradation of their apartments (living
environment) became apparent, I ask myself whether I wish to continue living
in an environment that is showing signs of repeated disruption? Why? Why
not? Why did the evacuees do so? Did they feel trapped? Were they optimistic
that things would improve? For some, did a sense of altruism motivate their
decision to make sacrifices? For others, what were the gains? Did they
believe that they were victims of circumstance? Perhaps these questions
pertain to those who were not the perpetrators of vice.
Why did the community degrade to such an extent?
As mentioned in an earlier post, of the reported 7 000 evacuees, I am told,
more than 350 families have been accommodated in this neighbouring block.
Are the new rules and systems an attempt to begin afresh? What has kept this
portion of this community together? Myriad questions arise from this event.
Security. [cid:image003.jpg@01CC93D1.04A8C8C0] This picture might suggest
that perhaps we have become so accustomed to the hard tangible elements of
"security" that true security within our families and neighbourhoods, and
indeed ourselves, is being almost imperceptibly eroded by that against which
we need to secure ourselves.
I haven't addressed the issue reported here from a xenophobic point of view
because I believe that, in this incident, the focus on xenophobia would
dismiss the issues that exist, regardless of whether the insurgents were
foreigners.
How will this community avoid a similar fate to that which they have
recently faced? How can they build a new healthy community? Do they have the
resources to do so? What obstacles do they have to contend with, least of
all the likes of last night's incident? What affect does all this have on
the children?
As I contemplate being in the thick of the events later this week, these
questions among others, become more pertinent than ever.
Today, I would be viewing all the current events (the Malema / Ancyl
march) from my study window while I attempt to work. One person suggested
that we were virtually "under house arrest", which I felt was rather a
strong remark, but nevertheless thought provoking. I have decided to
distance myself from the events and have sought refuge elsewhere until
relative calm returns.
Till next time.
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