South Africa enters 2026 carrying a heavy burden of unresolved problems. The government keeps rolling out new laws and proposals, often as distractions from the real crises that get pushed aside. State departments struggle to function properly, infrastructure continues to decay, and corruption devours billions—yet salaries, especially at the top, keep climbing.With Christmas just around the corner and living costs skyrocketing, many households cannot even afford a simple festive celebration.Our farmers, however, never stop. They work tirelessly under immense pressure—facing high input costs, disease outbreaks, logistical nightmares, and security threats—just to keep food on our tables. Too often, the government's role appears as waste or hidden behind corruption.
Consider a few clear examples of dodged responsibilities.In health, Minister Motsoaledi wants to scrap medical aid tax deductions for higher earners to fund the unaffordable NHI, even though the public health system is already rotten and stripped bare. The real focus should be on using existing funds properly.New firearms legislation ignores the glaring issue: the police themselves lost or had 3,422 guns stolen over five years.Water law amendments feel more like a power grab than genuine fixes for maintenance and efficiency.The new foot-and-mouth disease vaccination plan offers hope, but its success relies on strict animal movement control—a police responsibility—and true partnership with the private sector, areas where the state has fallen short so far.The hard truth remains: South Africa has no income problem; it has a spending and theft problem. While true priorities gather dust, ordinary citizens and farmers bear the cost.
Farm murders and attacks remain a serious concern for South Africa's rural communities, affecting farmers of all backgrounds and contributing to fear and economic strain in the agricultural sector.Official SAPS statistics for 2025 show a relatively low number—around 50-60 farm-related murders annually (including owners, workers, and dwellers), representing a tiny fraction (<0.3%) of the country's total ~27,000 yearly homicides. Groups like AfriForum report higher attack figures, but murders have trended downward in recent years, partly due to community initiatives like farm watches.President Ramaphosa and the government have repeatedly condemned farm violence, describing it as criminality rather than targeted persecution, and rejected international claims ,The National Rural Safety Strategy is being implemented (99% of targeted stations active by late 2025), with community-police partnerships, specialised units, and private efforts filling gaps.Support for farmers includes grants, the Agriculture Master Plan, and disease control measures (e.g., FMD vaccination rollout). While critics argue more priority is needed, community-led safety networks have reduced incidents in many areas.No evidence supports claims of lavish taxpayer-funded holidays ignoring farmers—Ramaphosa has focused on reconciliation and economic issues.Farmers' resilience keeps food on tables despite challenges; continued dialogue and implementation of safety plans offer the best path forward. Rural safety affects all South Africans—strengthening it benefits everyone.
We need unity in South Africa more than ever as we head into 2026.It's time to stop blaming the past and apartheid for everything. Those wounds are real, but using them as an endless excuse keeps us divided and stuck.Let's start working together—black, white, coloured, Indian, everyone—without focusing on skin colour. What matters is shared effort: building jobs, fixing roads, fighting crime, growing food, and making life better for all.Our farmers (of every race) feed the nation under tough conditions. Communities across the country show unity works when people put differences aside—neighbourhood watches, school projects, business partnerships.South Africa belongs to all who live here and love it. Unity isn't about forgetting history—it's about choosing a stronger future together.
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