Comrade in Crime

Barely a fortnight after the sentencing of the former South Africa president Jacob Zuma to a 15 months prison term out his defiance, 72 people and counting have lost their dear lives and properties worth millions of rands vandalized where looting has become a full time job for idlers all in the name of protest. 

The fact that it's the largest ethnic group in mother Africa, spreading from Sub-Sahara through the Savannah grasslands of East Africa, down to the Victoria falls and all the way to Kwazulu province in South Africa, the bantus find pride in their centuries old humanitarian phrase, 'UBUNTU NGUMUNTU NGABANTU' which in a shortened version is UBUNTU, which literally means: 'I am because we are.'
This compassionate phrase finds its origin from the primeval African proverb: 'It takes a village to raise a child.' It's inarguably true that, a child's moral rectitude or lack of it thereof is a direct reflection of the community the child was brought up in.
Unfortunately, most Africans are yet to understand that ubuntu doesn't have a connotation whatsoever. In other words, the term ubuntu dosen't invoke a negative implication on solicitude. Ubuntu is strictly applicable on moral rectitude and doesn't have anything to do with moral turpitude. In simplicity, the term ubuntu is only applicable on matters morality not immorality. 
That notwithstanding, the aggression,  hostility and unrest contrived by the arrest and conviction of a nefarious member of the society especially someone with a leadership position clearly shows how our morality have continued to decay by each passing day. Instead of letting the victims to carry their own cross as per the injurious consequences of breaking the law, we hold demonstrations claiming that: He is a criminal, but he is our criminal. This bizarre behavior is not only an immoral depiction of comradeship in crime, it's also a conformation of PLO Lumumba's claim that: 'Most of us are probable criminals, it's only that we don't get a chance to exercise our heinous intentions.'
If you think by any chance that my claim is far-fetched, don't look far than the recent ruling of the constitutional court of South Africa that saw the former president Jacob Zuma guilty of contempt of court for refusing to appear before the State Capture Commission to answer intriguing questions on matters corruption that occurred during his presidency.
The fact that he was sentenced to a 15 months jail term has contrived chaotic demonstrations in different cities where looting and destruction of property have become rampant. Unfortunately, this inessential unrest will eventually render the economy of South Africa into an extremely deplorable state amidst covid-19. If anything, this irrepressible unrest has clearly vindicated that: Although he's a criminal, he is our criminal.
It's extremely unfortunate how we mercifully sympathize with politicians who are found guilty of corruption in a total disregard of how mercilessly they impoverish us while enjoying different positions of leadership and simultaneously wallowing in opulence using the public funds that are meant to improve the lives and livelihoods of their fellow citizens. 

Our leniency amidst their immorality makes them perceive us as indigent fools who can be subjected to any act of injustice without any complains whatsoever. In other words, we have not only become their enablers towards their dreadful acts on humanity but we have also made them our demigods by protesting against their warranted convictions. That's why they will never ever learn the simplest disciplinary rule of life that: 'Choices have consequences.'
As sure as death, sooner than later, some of the people who are spending restless days and sleepless nights protesting the jailing of Jacob Zuma will soon meet him in prison, regrettably not to sympathize with him but to serve their jail term out of their indefensible fanaticism. Therefore, if you can't do the time, don't do the crime. 

With that truth well encrypted on your finger tips, before you engage yourself in unworthy demonstrations and gratuitous protest following a court ruling where the culprit is lawfully sent to prison, kindly remember that; A society that despises justice can never overcome criminality.