For how long must we thank the ANC?

‘NOTE to Zuma: Jesus may just be back sooner than you thought” (June 7) refers. The opposition is indeed carving out the ANC support base, the EFF on the left and the DA on the right.

I am a black South African, still crazy about society’s morals.

For years the ANC has punted the DA as this party that tolerates blacks just so that it could get their votes and has the propensity to take us back into the dark 1960s. The ANC have marketed themselves as the sole liberators of this country and have demanded patronage in the form of black votes. For how long will we be paying off this debt of gratitude?

Are we going to continue to feel indebted to the ANC even with this blatant wholesale looting of the country, state-owned enterprises being run into the ground, shambolic appointments in state-run institutions, endemic and systemic corruption aplenty, just because we do not want to seem ungrateful?

Somewhere down the line, black people must draw a line in the sand and tell them, “this far and no further, enough is enough”. The current crop of MPs is a few tricks short of a full circus. How can they sit there and defend the indefensible, taking us for fools who cannot think for ourselves? The Nkandla issue is a slam-dunk case, yet it is being drawn out like The Bold and the Beautiful saga. At this rate it will outlast Jacob Zuma’s second term in office. If I was Gwede Mantashe, I would have long thrown the president under the bus to save the party.

Not very much is going to be achieved by this fifth parliament. The economy is not going to get the attention it needs, job creation will be shelved, service delivery protests will get worse, agriculture will die off while we have subcommittees to investigate subcommittees that were investigating the report about how the reports on a slam-dunk case are to be handled. Where are we going to be four years from now? We will still be growing GDP at less than 2%, poverty and hunger will still be commonplace, the budget deficit will be increasing, unemployment will be in the 20th to 30th percentiles, the Gini coefficient will be upwards of 55, we will be taking load-shedding in three doses per day like some pain medication, and we will be losing foreign direct investment to countries serious about governance and growth. We must never be shy to tell the ANC they are a mediocre party and show them the bench. It’s time for fresh legs, and if they come in the form of Mmusi or Juju, so be it, as long as the job gets done and the country recovers. — Brian Seabela, by e-mail

No wise men or virgins left

NOTE to Barney Mthombothi: for Jesus to return, you need three wise men and a virgin. So he ain’t coming back. — Themba, by SMS

The majority doesn’t care

WE may be rather too optimistic. Across the Limpopo we have one man who has sunk what used to be the region’s strongest currency and the second-strongest economy, yet he keeps winning elections.

Between 1948 and 1994, the Nats continued to be voted back into power by sane white South Africans despite the whole world disapproving of apartheid policies.

The ANC and Zuma may indeed be corrupt, but I don’t think the majority cares. It is the middle class, but they are in the minority. — Bheki ka Mpangazitha, Vaal Triangle

How golden a handshake?

“THE true cost of Zuma’s golden handshakes” (June 7) refers.

This story deserves two things: a front-page spot and deeper investigation. We taxpayers need the full extent of the tally of the spend so far, where its allocation in the budget is, and answers from the government on what qualifies [someone for] a handshake.

As a taxpayer, I am most annoyed about this. If this had to happen in a private company, the CEO and the entire board would be fired. — Scelo Nciki, by e-mail

Aggett’s death no suicide

“NEIL Aggett’s torturer paid millions by SARS” (June 7) refers.

Good story, but Aggett did not commit suicide. Most likely he died during torture and was then hanged in his cell by his torturers to make it look like suicide. — W Moir, by SMS

Slave artefacts belong in SA

ON reading “How Clifton’s grave of slaves was finally found” (June 7), I am surprised “our” artefacts from this project will be taken to the US. Surely they belong in our museums, especially as they were found in our waters? — Helen, by SMS

Village that ignored a child

“WHY Bredasdorp’s shame gives the lie to our caring for kids” (June 7) refers. South Africans need to come out from the denialism embedded in our bloodstreams. We so often claim to be what we are NOT but wish to be.

If South Africans had ubuntu at our core, we would not be hearing of these atrocities and abuse of children. The Bredasdorp ills are a drop in an ocean. Our actions speak the opposite of our ubuntu narratives. We are proud to say “it takes a village to raise a child” but the same village looks the other way when children are abused by neighbours, families or relatives. The Bredasdorp community knew about the 28-year-old adult male and the 15-year-old girl child.

As a South African citizen, realise that you are responsible for the safety of your children. If as an adult you are irresponsible, your kid’s future is on the edge. The state will not come to the party and take that accountability from you. The collective responsibility of communities is nonexistent (these villagers don’t raise kids but kill them). If you neglect your kids, the villagers will take advantage, social development will claim ignorance and the justice system will not reprioritise the agenda to suit neglected children. — D Hlahane, by e-mail

My child can’t go to school

OUR government is careless when it comes to safeguarding our children. I’m a single father who has a fiveyear-old girl, who isn’t allowed at school because I struggle to get a birth certificate because her mother left her with me and I don’t know her whereabouts. Hospital records prove I’m the biological father of the child.

My concern is what will happen to my child when I’m no longer around. — Slhlanjwa, by e-mail

Beliefs have broken down

I AM a Zambian of 56. I read the article concerning the vulnerability of (particularly girl) children in our modern-day society and was filled with consternation.

I grew up in an era when the welfare of a child was the collective responsibility of the community. This was typical in black, sub-Saharan societies. This was central to the upbringing of every child from generation to generation.

Alarmingly, the integration of communities with different cultural perspectives in urban settings has, over time, eroded what used to be a once recognised and respected fundamental societal fabric.

As long as African societies embrace the culture of diverting from our interpersonal connectedness as enshrined in our traditional beliefs, the sad, unfathomable story of the innocent 15-year-old Elda Jafta will soon be nothing but one of many. — Arnold Chisonta, by e-mail

Row over photo sickening

“LIONESS had ‘blood dripping’ ” (June 7) refers. What I find shocking, disturbing and sick is that out of people’s misfortune, others would stoop so low as fight over a photo.

In your article you mention the controversy about the photograph and its copyright owners. Do we have to make money out of others’ suffering? It’s sick. The person who took the photo got his time in the spotlight, now move on.

Thanks for a great newspaper. I wait every Sunday morning for its delivery and can’t wait to read it. —Robert Pollabauer, by e-mail

Hani is denied such joys

“HANI killer savours freedom after 22 years in jail” (June 7) refers.

The wife of Clive Derby-Lewis is selfish and naive. How can she say that people don’t know freedom until they lose it? And bragging about Derby-Lewis eating with a fork and knife? Will Chris Hani ever have that chance of walking in his garden? This woman is just like her killer husband — they don’t have remorse for what this killer did to the Hanis and the people of South Africa. — Elisha, Pretoria

Derby-Lewis has rights

REGARDLESS of whether Mr DerbyLewis has shown remorse or not, he is entitled to live out the remainder of his days in his own home. At least he is more honest than Schabir Shaik. — Peter Denton, Springs

Zephany upset by reports

“GRANNY says Zephany is a ‘rude, insolent brat’ ” (May 31) refers.

The Centre for Child Law represents the girl known in the media as Zephany Nurse. I am writing to express how distressed she is about the negative comments about her in the media of late. She has read articles and headlines (including in this newspaper) and seen newscasts that describe her as “spoilt”, “insolent”, “rude”, a “brat” and “badly brought up”.

“Zephany” made a decision at the outset that getting to know her biological family was something she preferred to do in private, and that she would therefore not speak to the media. She does not want everyone to know the intimate details of her life. These past weeks she has been anxious and upset about the way she is being portrayed.

Whatever the interest of the media and public in Zephany’s story, I am sure they would not want to be complicit in making her already difficult situation more complicated, and certainly not in making her unhappy. I therefore ask for especially careful and sensitive reporting and headline writing on her situation. — Ann Skelton, by e-mail

Hurting teachers no answer

“VIOLENT teachers face backlash” (June 7) refers. I do not condone classroom canings at all; they should be rooted out by all means possible.

But for Khulekani Skosana, as a high-ranking officer of Cosas, to encourage pupils to physically attack teachers who assault them makes my skin crawl. Surely the Department of Basic Education must act swiftly in these cases and get rid of (not redeploy) this type of teacher? Or is Mr Skosana indirectly admitting that this department is incapable of doing its job and therefore he advocates an “eye for an eye” approach? How sad. — S Ferreira, Kimberley

Jordaan’s name is dirt

“‘ANC knows FBI wants Jordaan’ ” (June 7) refers. Danny Jordaan, aka “Mr Clean” in local football circles, has his hands covered in ANC mire. He will be judged by the company he keeps, internationally and locally. Besides, he’s in need of a good scrub. Roll on the elections. — KC, Benoni

Contaminated hands

BETWEEN Jordaan and our minister of sport, with their clean hands, I am lost for words. Looks like they were washed in the toilet. — PS, by SMS