SA, it’s time to end our delinquency

Our tendency to demand rights while shirking responsibility is our Achilles heel,writes Kgabo Maditodi

What kind of people are we as South Africans?

Do we know what our rights and responsibilities are as citizens in a constitutional democracy?

Put differently, what should a constitutional state expect from its citizens?

I ask these questions, compatriots, informed by our conduct and attitudes towards the measures put in place by government in response to the battle against the invisible enemy – the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

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I understand that the footprints of this deadly virus are there for everyone to see – the human casualities in devastated countries.

However, a significant majority of South Africans are not helping government in fighting this pandemic.

During these trying times, do we expect government to negotiate and baby-sit us for our cooperation?

Firstly, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of national disaster on March 15 and decreed that no gatherings of more than 100 people were permitted.

Did we heed the call? No.

Secondly, Ramaphosa announced the nationwide lockdown on March 23, effectively placing all citizens under house arrest for 21 days until April 16, as government sought to break the virus transmission chain.

To this end, detailed regulations were put in place on how citizens should conduct ourselves during the lockdown, and when and for what reason we were allowed to be out of our homes.

Our response to all this was poor.

To ensure that we remain at home and social distancing in public is enforced, the army, the police and traffic officers were deployed to patrol and maintain law and order.

Did we cooperate? Again, no.

Almost daily, Cabinet ministers brief the nation with updates on Covid-19’s trajectory.

There are many conversations on radio, television and online media platforms about what we should and should not be doing during the lockdown – all in the interest of our health and safety as a nation.

But are we listening? Barely; only to the extent that our normal routines are not interrupted.

I submit that, as citizens, our poor response to Covid-19 measures is informed by our delinquent tendencies towards the laws of the land.

Generally, we are mostly a lawless society living in a constitutional democracy.

Under these circumstances, we question the conduct of law enforcers towards us, even when we have broken the rules.

But we find nothing wrong with breaching laws.

Our knowledge and understanding of our constitutional rights informs our hostility towards law enforcement, while we make no efforts to be law-abiding citizens.

We question our political leaders, while demanding answers which we feel entitled to because our health and safety are at stake.

All this while showing no desire to follow instructions.

In The Republic Book II, Greek philosopher Glaucon offers an explanation of our behaviour as South Africans, that “what men would most want is to be able to commit injustices against others without the fear of reprisal”.

Glaucon’s explanation was as relevant then as it is applicable to us today.

Perhaps the appropriate response to my earlier question lies in the interesting dialogue which occurred in the 18th century among Greek philosophers about the social contract, which defines the rights and duties between the ruled and their rulers.

In his contribution to the dialogue, Socrates argued “a just man is the one who will, among other things, recognise his obligation to the state by obeying its laws.

The state, therefore, is the morally and politically most fundamental entity and, as such, deserves our highest allegiance and deepest respect.

Just men know this and act accordingly.”

Contrary to Socrates’ argument, our behaviour during this lockdown suggests that we recognise government’s obligations towards our welfare, health and security, but we have no obligation to obey its laws.

We thus have no respect for the state, hence we cannot be classified as just men and women.

Another philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, argued: “Laws are binding only when they are supported by the general will of the people.”

As South Africans, we embrace our Constitution as the supreme law of the land and understand its binding nature only to the extent that we can use it to defend our actions.

But we find no obligation to wholly abide by it, whether on its own or through other laws that seek to further its intentions.

The main lesson from China’s handling of Covid-19 was that when government issued orders, citizens complied.

That’s why China was able to reduce both the infection and mortality rates significantly, notwithstanding the initial casualties.

Salute to China’s just men and women!

Maditodi is a civil servant based in North West

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