EveryWoman

Let us be our brother’s keeper

I watched with dismay a video in the course of the week that prompted this note. An elderly woman was filmed for allegedly picking nsima from a hospital trashcan. She was under siege amid accusations of promoting diseases through what the mob claimed was the woman’s intentions. Apparently, the video alleged the woman processes the leftover nsima from the hospital into sweet beer (thobwa) which she sells to unsuspecting people. I do not know how this information was uncovered, but the woman became an object of ridicule and there was clear malice intended in exposing her actions.

The evidently poor woman was at a loss for words over getting mobbed and attempted in vain to conceal her identity by hiding her face. She realised the recording phones were meant to scandalise her, but with a mob, she was helpless. Some players in the video were heard offering her money as start-up capital to prepare clean and healthy thobwa while others jeered at her. I felt sorry, especially at the loss of dignity for this poor woman. I felt sorry too, at what poverty can push people to do such despicable acts as to recycle trash for sale.

Firstly, let me make it clear here that if it is indeed true that the woman picks trash to recycle for human consumption, I am appalled. I also understand people’s anger and the act needs to be stopped. She may not be alone either. However, even if it came from the horse’s mouth, did anyone indeed verify what she allegedly said? Were the people right in displaying her as they did?  

I understand there are negative and positive approaches to an issue and anyone is at liberty to pick whichever. Mob justice seems to be favoured. What would have been wrong with sitting the woman down and enlightening her on her actions without humiliating her in the manner she was? What guarantee is there that she will stop because she was exposed in a video? Supposing she decided to sue, can the actions of the ‘good Samaritan’s in the video stand the legal test?  And on the monetary offers heard in the video, couldn’t these have been done in a civilised manner than hypocritically?

Admittedly, the woman was wrong and so were her critics. The manner chosen to ‘correct’ the situation smacks of nothing, but slander. Let us learn to love and respect each other all the time. This woman should establish love for others first without putting monetary gains above all else—no matter her situation. And indeed, it is everyone’s responsibility to be our brother’s keeper and correct with love. nI watched with dismay a video in the course of the week that prompted this note. An elderly woman was filmed for allegedly picking nsima from a hospital trashcan. She was under siege amid accusations of promoting diseases through what the mob claimed was the woman’s intentions. Apparently, the video alleged the woman processes the leftover nsima from the hospital into sweet beer (thobwa) which she sells to unsuspecting people. I do not know how this information was uncovered, but the woman became an object of ridicule and there was clear malice intended in exposing her actions.

The evidently poor woman was at a loss for words over getting mobbed and attempted in vain to conceal her identity by hiding her face. She realised the recording phones were meant to scandalise her, but with a mob, she was helpless. Some players in the video were heard offering her money as start-up capital to prepare clean and healthy thobwa while others jeered at her. I felt sorry, especially at the loss of dignity for this poor woman. I felt sorry too, at what poverty can push people to do such despicable acts as to recycle trash for sale.

Firstly, let me make it clear here that if it is indeed true that the woman picks trash to recycle for human consumption, I am appalled. I also understand people’s anger and the act needs to be stopped. She may not be alone either. However, even if it came from the horse’s mouth, did anyone indeed verify what she allegedly said? Were the people right in displaying her as they did?  

I understand there are negative and positive approaches to an issue and anyone is at liberty to pick whichever. Mob justice seems to be favoured. What would have been wrong with sitting the woman down and enlightening her on her actions without humiliating her in the manner she was? What guarantee is there that she will stop because she was exposed in a video? Supposing she decided to sue, can the actions of the ‘good Samaritan’s in the video stand the legal test?  And on the monetary offers heard in the video, couldn’t these have been done in a civilised manner than hypocritically?

Admittedly, the woman was wrong and so were her critics. The manner chosen to ‘correct’ the situation smacks of nothing, but slander. Let us learn to love and respect each other all the time. This woman should establish love for others first without putting monetary gains above all else—no matter her situation. And indeed, it is everyone’s responsibility to be our brother’s keeper and correct with love.

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