Obama leaves US foreign policy in tatters

THIS month we bid goodbye to that brilliant orator, but incompetent leader, US President Barack Hussein Obama. We shall miss his brilliant orations, but nothing else.

His successes , especially in foreign affairs, are too few to leave us with any great impression of his legacy.

Opening up to Cuba was a notable exception. We can also congratulate him on the Iran nuclear deal — but it is bound to derail in the near future.

There’s very little to commend in African affairs. Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Libya, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia remain either on fire or about to boil over.

He bungled the Israeli-Palestinian impasse big time. He left nothing but unhappy Palestinians and a furious Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. He tried to play both sides of the conflict, but only earned Netanyahu’s contempt, and perplexed Palestinians.

His greatest failure, however, was in his relations with Russia.

Without facts, he blamed Russia for the missile downing of the Malaysian airliner in eastern Ukraine. He stupidly blamed Russia when Crimea freely and democratically elected to secede from Ukraine and be reincorporated in Russia.

Obama was again humiliated by Russian President Vladimir Putin when the latter successfully prevented the US and the West from dethroning Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad just like they did Saddam and Gaddafi.

Putin virtually ended the Syrian civil war and cobbled up a post-war peace conference. Obama’s absence in the resolution of the Syrian conflict was further testimony of his abject failure.

Obama leaves Putin and Trump triumphant and his foreign affairs policy in tatters. — Themba Sono, Centurion

Stunned by ANC’s hypocrisy

SO Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga accepted an invitation to Taiwan to promote investment in South Africa, as reported in “Storm in rice bowl over DA mayor’s Taiwan freebie” (December 30), and the ANC — still bitter at losing Tshwane to the DA — accuses the new mayor of “treason”!

Sometimes the mind is staggered by the double standards of the ANC.

Is going on an all-expenses-paid trip for a presentation that can only create jobs now treason because China does not recognise Taiwan as a country?

But somehow the Guptas’ attempts to capture our state-owned enterprises do not amount to treason?

How about the increasing rate of unemployment, especially among young people in South Africa? I would argue that not providing jobs for them is more treasonous.

And what about a president who violated the constitution?

There is no rhyme or treason for the ANC’s accusation of reason against Msimanga. — Rob Nicolai, Howick

Cyril is the man to support

IT is intelligent foresight by trade union federation Cosatu and others to back Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as our next president.

There are not many people as honest as he is, with business acumen and strong leadership to boot. — Baba Saloojee, Rustenburg

Who are the Christmas cops?

AM I the only person who finds it strange that every year at about this time, various law enforcement agencies declare that more traffic officers and vehicles will be made available to control South Africa’s roads?

Where are these officers and vehicles kept for the rest of the year?

Are all these extra officers blessed with 11 months of paid leave a year? And, if these officers are not on duty for 11 months, how do they have the experience to be useful traffic officers? — Tom Lambe, Oakdene

Roll up for the SABC show

SURELY there must still be hope for us as the “ad hoc show on SABC” resumes on Tuesday.

Formerly divided parliamentary bodies have become united as one!

Shady ministers, cadres and Zuma’s “blue-eyed boys and girls” and the extent of their fiefdoms have been exposed: Prasa, Eskom, Sassa, the SABC, SAA, the departments of mineral resources and energy, Petro-SA . . .

The brighter government MPs had better shape up soon or their cushy jobs will not last past 2019. For lesser lights such as ministers Faith Muthambi, Susan Shabangu, Bathabile Dlamini, Mosebenzi Zwane, Tina Joemat-Pettersson and Des van Rooyen, it may well be too late. — Theo Roelofsz, Marble Hall

Churches run uniform scam

WHILE the Competition Commission is scrutinising cosy deals that involve school uniforms, some churches also exploit their congregants by selling exclusive uniforms to members.

Deals are allegedly being cut by powerful individuals in churches where the institutions themselves do not benefit.

Just like the schools, a church can ask for an exclusive design or colour.

Rights of embroidery on jacket pockets, ties and shirts for men and dresses for women are exclusively owned by powerful individual beneficiaries in the clergy.

But the churchgoers are unlikely to complain, because they are vulnerable, and as a result churches have become a big business.

Most churches in South Africa have become ATMs that benefit influential personalities in the clergy.

Congregants are strategically robed in their new uniforms on Good Friday, to coincide with the Crucifixion.

Congregants are led to believe their new uniform is cleansed in the blood of Christ. Believers are so passionate that they would never ask for whose benefit they are being robed in new regalia. — Moeti Molelekoa, Welkom

SA’s jobs are for its citizens

THE worst thing that can happen with opening of the borders is that South Africa will be captured in its entirety.

The crimes committed by foreigners against South Africans do not get exposed: nothing is shown on TV about the latest drug bust and arrest of brothel owners.

In effect, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma offered Zimbabweans the jobs of South Africans when, as chairwoman of the AU Commission, she said she wanted to open Africa’s borders.

We South Africans must fight for our children’s children or we will be poor while foreigners take everything away. — Lindi Zantsi, Worcester