Try Declaration of Intent

THE more we watch the ANC muddle their way through the ongoing and never-ending Jacob Zuma debacle, the more critical it becomes for opposition parties to convene and provide SA voters soonest with a Declaration of Intent (DOI).

Should they comprise a majority at 2019 election, they will give effect to a Codesa-type summit that will change our constitution to ensure that never again will a president be able to control sitting MPs to the extent that ours becomes a ‘lock up and go’ parliament. And never again will anyone in government be able to loot SOEs or bullet-proof themselves against prosecution as Zuma has done via surrogate appointees.

We should be profoundly grateful to our courageous media for unstinting work in exposing the Zupta-style state capture which has almost brought our country to its knees. It’s been only relatively recent that South Africans have realised the extent to which Zuma abrogated power to the Gupta family to appoint their surrogates to do the bidding of the self-serving Guptas in areas of government and in SOEs whose proper functioning were (and remain) absolutely critical to the well-being of our nation.

The exposure in the media of the extent to which surrogates were hand-picked by the Guptas has provided a much-needed wake-up call to the South African nation.

Parties to the aforementioned DOI must declare their intent to prosecute perpetrators of ‘state capture’ and its ghastly tapestries of corruption. — Sandy Johnston, Nelson Mandela Bay

Mr Mayor, you wrong

THE mayor is celebrating something which is taken for granted in most well-run cities but in this case it is probably a miracle – in spite of the fact that we are after all not a small village in the Transkei or a dusty Karoo town run by dysfunctional councils (DD dated 1 Feb).

His ‘profound performance improvement of services’ I am still waiting to observe as this has not been seen in Gonubie or East London for that matter. We still have to dodge potholes , however hard the small maintenance team works – including talking and lots of tea breaks – and we all suffocating in filth due to whole scale illegal dumping. And he has yet to explain the irregular spending of millions of rand in the previous year. No Mr Mayor, I am not getting my monies worth for the rates I pay and your celebrations are by far too premature!

And something that really gripes me are the large number of luxury vehicles observed daily on our roads, absolutely top-of- therange class I would expect to be allocated to a Ministerial position. I am informed that the ‘owners’ are either employees of the municipality or provincial government which I can well believe. The private sector simply cannot afford such luxury cars, or perhaps a few successful factory owners may. Is this another example of ‘ subtle state capture’? — DJ Michau, via e- mail

This is a real eyesore

IT'S really a sight for sore eyes the way the sidewalk looks in Dunoon Road at the back of Greenpoint Road. This is allowed in affluent suburbs where former Model C schools are situated. The long overgrown grass is really making the school look filthy. This is the responsibility of the Municipality to cut and clean this area. Also with the long grass residents in the area has begun dumping building rubble on the sidewalks where schoolchildren and people must walk. Also the graffiti on the walls is really a reflection of the social ills in the community and is also contributed to the long grass creating that untidy look for the school. The councillor in the area should make this a priority on his list and ensure that all grass pavements leading to schools in the area are cut neatly and cleaned up by the BCM officials. Also the residents should patrol and ensure that a decent job is done by the BCM officials. — Burton Brown, Buffalo Flats

Don’t get fooled by this

AS the African Change Academy we condemn and denounce the proposed irresponsible #Hands off Jacob Zuma March or campaign allegedly led by the controversial BLF and its like-minded partners on the said matter. The initiative is a recipe hellbent on taking our country to a situation of instability and potential conflict that can result into a bloodbath if not taken seriously.

If the National Leaderships of the ANC as a ruling party deems it necessary to ask Zuma to resign after looking into broader issues of national interests that are at stake, it is uncalled for for this grouping led by the BLF and its like-minded partners to counter Zuma's call to resign because they seek to safeguard the narrow interests of certain individuals who are serving as the Guptas conveyor belts to loot our country's resources and ultimately reverse our gains of freedom.

As the ACA we're saying all those patriots and proud South Africans who care about the international image of our country must denounce this proposed #Hands off Jacob Zuma March or campaign allegedly led by the BLF and its partners as it is an action that will not take our country forward.

Furthermore it is very misleading for this grouping to imply that the removal of President Zuma won't advance the so-called “RET”. As the ACA we say they must not undermine the integrity of our people with this hollow argument, it just does not hold.

Last but least as ACA being a political party outside parliament, we want to add our voice to those parties and proud South Africans saying President Zuma must not be the one addressing our Sona as his image as the mirror of our country is heavily discredited due to his countless scandals that have harmed our country's image to the outside world. — Wandile Tsipa, Leader of African Change Academy