this post by SABC News
When a mother traffics her own child… or when a sibling murders and buries her in the family yard… or when kidnapping syndicates spread with alleged parental collusion—this is not normal. South Africa’s headline horrors are mounting faster than we can react. We’re caught in a cycle of shock turning into resignation. It’s time to declare: Our normal is not normal.
1. 🤯 Unthinkable acts have become routine
Claasen highlights grotesque tragedies—child trafficking, intra-family murder, syndicated kidnapping—now making weekly headlines. These events would shock any “sane society,” but South Africans are numbed by repetition. Emotional inertia is settling in.
2. 🧠 Blame is a smokescreen
We blame politicians, media, foreigners, celebrities… anyone but ourselves. These “easy answers” offer relief. But they also allow self-exemption. Shamefully, they protect us from self-reflection and true accountability.
3. 📢 National Dialogue: replay or reset?
President Ramaphosa’s proposed National Dialogue echoes Mandela’s nation-building—but in a far more fractured 21st‑century South Africa. Experts argue:
- The process must be inclusive and preceded by expert diagnosis, not rushed into broad talk shops
- It risks being hijacked by politicians seeking legitimacy rather than transformation \.
- Elite-driven dialogues rarely reach the voices of the most affected—rural communities, youth, marginalized groups
4. 💸 A public process, private gains?
Critics warn the Dialogue could be a political spectacle—a “R700 million talking shop” with little follow‑through unless civil society is deeply engaged from planning to follow‑up
5. 🧘 Trauma is the silent crisis
Persistent violence and inequality inflict chronic trauma—especially on youth. Without addressing this, dialogue remains superficial. Healing should be central to any national reset
6. 🛡️ Self‑reflection over scapegoating
Claasen insists: we must start with personal and collective accountability. We can’t continue the cycle of blame. Real change demands we see our role and rebuild trust collectively.
7. 🔧 5 Strategic Steps Toward a Better Normal
- Pre‑Dialogue Diagnostics: Commission expert-led analysis of social ills, modeled on the National Development Plan diagnostic phase :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
- Community-Led Forums: Ensure real voices—from townships, farms, rural areas—drive solutions, not just elite roundtables
- Neutral Facilitation: Led by civil society and trusted experts—not politicians—to avoid legitimacy pitfalls
- Embed Trauma Healing: Integrate mental health and victim support across dialogue streams to address root scars
- Accountability Mechanisms: Every dialogue proposal must come with measurable commitments and follow-through by institutions.
✅ Final Word: Resetting “Normal”
Lance Claasen’s wake-up call is clear: our “normal” is dangerously skewed. Thoughtful, inclusive, action-based National Dialogue may be the turning point—but only if we refuse to settle for another stale round of speeches. Responsibility, healing, inclusivity—these must be the foundation of any new normal.
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