Let us not delude ourselves, as ordinary, non-violent, law abiding South Africans, we live in a society permeated by devils

South Africa is one of the most violent societies on Earth. Men don't hurt women because of some sort of universal patriarchy, but because those men who do are violent men anyway, and we live in one of the most God forsaken, violent societies on planet Earth, with that violence permeating our politics and staying within every level of society.

The vast majority of violence is against men by men. The small percentage of that violence against women is an overflow which has become a flood because of the general violence.

The same men who loot foreign owned stores, murder others, steal with impunity, and pay and receive bribes, will more likely take a woman against her will for his own sexual gratification or assault her.

South Africa is a violent society that worships Marx and his religion of envy, lust and force rather than Jesus Christ and his religion of self control, self denial, and consideration of the needs, rights and wants of others.

The answer to violence against women in South Africa lies not in feminist doctrine, nor with lumping together good men with the bad, but with God.

South Africans are a nation corrupted by a widespread entitlement attitude and with it the unnatural desire to acquire unjust wealth and unearned respect. Victims to be are demonized and dehumanized. Women are treated in the same way by rapists, who are not deterred by communities taking things into their own hands and burning the alleged rapists alive, in informal settlements.

The mistreatment of women in our nation, which some call the rape capital of the world, is to be condemned utterly, but cannot be viewed in isolation of the society of entitlement by force and through force of unjust institutions and corrupted laws which exist to perpetuate such a society of violence and indifference to to suffering of our fellow man, which is South Africa. South Africa is also a human trafficking capital of the world, and a place where organised crime and gang violence flourish. Political power is gained through assassination, and deals with the corrupt, so much so that the New York Times has noticed it, doing a long special on how local council positions are fought for through bullets aimed upon rivals and witnesses.

A government was just elected on promises to steal the pensions from old people, and to change the Constitution to let the government steal possessions from the people without it frowning on them for it. You are not entitled to someone else's pension or land, but according to South Africa's parliament you are.

When a woman who accused our former President Jacob Zuma of rape had to flee for her life to the West, and this was applauded, an example was set. When elderly women are put to death as witches, an example is set. When fathers and mothers go off to loot shops, an example is set. When cars and trucks are stoned and set on fire, an example is set. When jobs are gained or kept because the government threatens companies with jail, ultimately, if they don't give you them, an example is set.

Let us not delude ourselves, as ordinary, non-violent, law abiding South Africans, we live in a society permeated by devils, one where violence is a way of life and how many of our nation's leaders have got ahead. Our ultimate national secular saint is a man who was jailed for 27 years for a massive bombing and sabotage campaign, a man who was offered freedom if he would only denounce violence, whose wife of many years was famous for her support of setting people on fire. Yet, we as a nation treat his being jailed for violence as a great injustice, and teach that in our schools, justifying violence. Violence begets violence. Our society has chosen a religion of force over a religion of peace, one where no matter how violent people are, they cannot be questioned, because their means are justified in their ends, and so any means become justified and then become normal.

The problem with South Africa is that it does not know God. And if it knows him, it does not believe in Him, and if it believes in Him, it does not obey Him. Instead, it obeys, praises, and worships the use of force, and the strong men who use it against others. Our foundations are what have cracked, as a nation. And into the cracks, the edifice has begun to collapse.

Essay by Marc Evan Aupiais.