A police officer watches over a scene.
When Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy smashed pies into each other’s faces, it was funny.
When the state’s apparatus does it to the public, it’s not really a joke any more.
Because in a world of escalating terrorism, which South Africa has thankfully been spared until now, a bomb threat which becomes reality equals dead and injured people.
And if the casualties come as a consequence of poor planning, then, frankly, the question should simply be “what the hell were they thinking?”
In the days of Pagad’s terror campaign in Cape Town, bomb safety was paramount. Even dustbins were reinforced.
During the armed struggle, you couldn’t enter a mall without your bag and person being scanned.
Schools held drills for bombs and fire, separately. Blasts were not uncommon in major cities and threats, frequent. Memories must be a bit dusty.
Now, the G20 Summit will see global leaders descending on Mzansi.
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It poses challenges. Hurdles that make potholes and Joburg’s decay look insignificant.
One of them, that facilities like major airports, shopping malls and convention centres are using fire evacuation protocols to shield the public from explosions.
According to experts, this can turn an explosive emergency into a shrapnel catastrophe.
More concerning is the silence that met questions to Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), various regional malls and Nasrec, a G20 venue.
Fortunately, Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy took note with a promise of instructing bomb safety introspection at Acsa.
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) all but dismissed expert concerns, preferring to hide site strategic secrecy about aviation safety machinations.
Silent malls, Acsa and all the first-tier role players in any threat must realise that it’s up to them to keep the public safe, first. Before police or emergency services step in to clean up.
Prevention is better than a coffin. Now is not the time for a pie in the face.
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