On pigs and ignorance

The love of money is not the root of all evil. Ignorance is. If we could know and feel the consequences of our actions we would change what we say and do.

The weekend brought news of a new-on-the-land project which has ended in great suffering for animals. Livestock had been without food and water for a number of days. Pigs began eating other pigs. Sheep, goats and ducks had also died. The farm was owned by the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Thandi Modise. Her explanation is that the farm manager was given leave and the replacement had not turned up. Modise is reported as saying: “I am not a farmer. I am trying to farm. I am learning. But if you are a woman and you are learning you are not allowed to make mistakes.”

This is not about a lack of agricultural skills. If those involved were aware of the pain caused by their thoughtlessness there would not be this scandal. This is a failure in management and a gross failure of follow through and responsibility. And is the subsequent political point scoring by opposition parties doing any good? We’re getting stuck here. The animals are forgotten and it’s all about us.

Come on! We can do better than this.