The news from Johannesburg is grim. Twelve dead, a city on edge, and British nationals warned to stay indoors. A manhunt is underway after a mass shooting that has left the Rainbow Nation stained with blood once again.
This is not the first such tragedy, and it will not be the last. South Africa, once heralded as a post-apartheid miracle, has descended into a vortex of violence and decay. The parallels to the late Roman Empire are unmistakable: a state unable to secure its own borders, a collapsing infrastructure, and a citizenry gripped by fear.
The killers, likely part of a criminal syndicate or a gang, operate with impunity. The government is powerless. This is what happens when a society loses its moral compass and its capacity for self-defence.
The ancestors of the Voortrekkers would weep. But what can we expect? The denial of identity, the erasure of history, and the worship of empty symbols have hollowed out the nation.
Now, it pays the price. British tourists beware: the veneer of civilisation has cracked. Stay safe, but understand that safety is a luxury you may not find in this land of broken promises.
