PAUPER TO PONCE

PAUPER TO PONCE 29/35 24.04.20 Day 29/35 So if you do the maths, you'll see It's the last week of the extension of the lockdown we're entering basically From then on it's levels - waiting for us is level four Luckily we're all primed for dealing with stages, shortages and sheddings, you know, from before Speaking of before, there's much from there we are dragging along Not least of them being our insistence on our right to be wrong Regardless the time and resources it might waste, or the energy it so misplaces There is an adamant demand that for this we need to allow and create spaces For argument and objection however irrelevant to our situation Needing to be indulged and accommodated, afforded a station But then to add insult to this ill-considered approach, insult the modus operandi of these factions at a glance So ubiquitous no-one even looks at it askance Name-calling, personal attacks Responses befitting a gossip or a hack Self-verified expertise, and same Whatsapp group mentality Where dwells the 'negative impulse disguised as critical take' eventuality Or just a purely political agenda Coincidence that THAT word ends with a 'd' and an (say it in Afrikaans) 'a' But since we find ourselves (we are in Cape Town, after all) here It's not a coincidence without value, it would appear Because obviously the DA wouldn't want it to seem That they're doubling up on stuff government is doing, when for essential doing there is need for steam Helen Zille I'm sure, didn't mean to come with that DA/Covid information site As a replication, surely not, of something government was already getting right And I'll admit that John Steenhuizen's tweet the other evening, did cause my eyebrow to lift (The right one has the ability to do a noticeably upwards shift) Not the content - which I'm sure was not the intention But did - I made sure to read every mention But the timing of the tweet, just as we were getting ready for the speech from the Pres John releases some 'startling' information that came into his possession, nogal on Twitter no less I'm happy to report it didn't impress Well not enough to cause confusion, I mean, or add to the national distress It was something about the army, but please resist the urge to ask Something about the numbers, already for me a fairly challenging task But let's not focus on how the maths gods neglected to yours truly annoint If that's what you're focussing on you're missing the point Which is : this is the wrong time to be politically 'mischievous' Or see where you can trip up government or ineptitude or incompetence 'expose" There is no room now for point-scoring exercises While demanding such a response, you must also demand differently during a crisis I'm sure it is not the intention of the DA to make it appear That they are not behind the President's plan or not buying into this 'combined effort' idea Obviously they know that at times like these a nation works together There's mos that analogy about a "wa' and the 'drif' to which we often refer So now is not the time to call the leader names or question his/her captainship In emergency we gather round and our endeavour in any kind of relationship Critical yet supportive, vigilant yet positive Cognizant that this about survival, but also about then how we continue to live Balancing what we believe we should get, with what we are prepared to give What we hope for, with what we receive And how what has passed affects what we believe I should come back to the DA and remind that I was literally Using them as an example, I have no desire to engage around their relevance intentionally Again, I must stress, I don't think now is the time for such nonsense I really believe best for now would be defer to common sense Which again, speaks to effective leadership and a united response From pauper, profiteer, prophet and ponce To believe differently, or pretend otherwise Must pull into question how much you care country-wise You know, not that urge where you need to beat your chest blaring about 'MY Country!' But that - what must be an amazing feeling - 'wow, it's lekker for EVERYBODY!' And the urgent need to reap the benefits of your freedom from directive So, because the urgency is about building something more humane, as well as effective Together - there is no better way than that Without consideration for how to brazenly benefit or skim the fat There might be good cause to use our first democratic elections as inspiration That we can present a united front , and put our needs behind that of a nation It's been a while, imho, since we've risen to that challenge, that demand But we have shown that we are able to, we can take that stand But part of that is holding those who claim to lead us accountable across the board Exercising your right to name-calling, undermining and formenting insecurity is I'm afraid not in accord Being divisive seeing this as an opportunity to 'take the ANC down' Might find favour in some quarters, but not those where the government needs to be a lifeline, an aid, and manage the lockdown The idea that 'if only someone else was governing' puts you - dangerously - in denial Since even children are coming forward to say how proud they are of the Honourable Cyril And to reiterate, this is actually not about the DA at all This is about all of us, you and me, and how we respond to a call This is our country, these are our people, that is our President Come bring your realistic alternative or shut up and help with how we are dealing with this at the moment And let's be clear : The virus is very much here SP