Shame on minister for glee at junk status

YET again, Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has displayed her lack of tact, as reported in “The big junk joke” (April 9).

The minister has a history of making outrageous comments: for example, saying in 2013 that her party did not need the “dirty votes” of ANC protesters from Bekkersdal who wanted to be incorporated in Gauteng.

This was followed by other jaw-dropping statements from Mokonyane, who has seen nothing wrong with making disgusting public comments about the downgrading of South Africa and the currency fall.

Minister Mokonyane, the fall of the rand is no laughing matter. It has a bearing on the lives of millions of South Africans, including the poor, for whom you claim you are fighting.

With the life of luxury that you and your family enjoy courtesy of the taxpayer, you probably remain blind to the reality of millions of South Africans who do not enjoy such luxuries. The fall of the rand is likely to make their situation far worse.

Your public conduct and statements are a crude illustration of the trouble in which our country (and the ANC) finds itself.

The problem is the result of ignorant so-called leaders, driven by nothing but their personal quest to amass wealth, who live large while millions live in squalor.

That you are in the same league as Edward Zuma speaks volumes about your comprehension of the complex issues facing South Africa.

You should be ashamed of yourself. — Thami Hadebe, Centurion

How history repeats itself

YOUR report on the “junk joke” reminded me of the wise words of my mom, a single black mother who put three of her children through university in the dark ages of apartheid. She managed this without the social security agency or the #FeesMustFall movement.

She always warned us against looking for easy solutions to intricate situations.

There seem to be many readers who think they just have to hang around airports to collect the keys to the assets of fleeing whites.

After World War 2, when decolonisation accelerated, many African leaders and their supporters held that view. Seventy years later the continent has the lowest standard of living for its people.

Closer to home, almost 20 years ago Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe shared and acted on this same sentiment: just take the land from whites, give it to loyal party leaders, and heaven has arrived.

Today, much of the workforce of that country is in South Africa, and many of Zimbabwe’s professionals are spread out in their thousands across “white monopoly” Western countries.

Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe it is only Mugabe, his wife and the inner circle of Zanu-PF members who still enjoy what is left of that country.

In 1994 we elected visionary leaders. When President Jacob Zuma and his group took over, they inherited a national surplus. We are now rated junk. — Derek, De Tijger, Cape Town

Loyalty ahead of principles

ANC MPs are saying that although they do not support Zuma, they cannot allow outsiders to dictate their actions, so will follow party doctrine in the vote of no confidence.

The National Party stayed in power for 46 years and, because of its majority was able to pass ever-more draconian laws entrenching apartheid, disenfranchising citizens, closing down dissent and hounding the media and the courts.

It was able to do this because even decent, God-fearing Nationalist MPs were not prepared to vote with their conscience, but chose instead to toe the party line. I’m sure DF Malan, JG Strijdom, HF Verwoerd, John Vorster and PW Botha were grateful.

And I’m sure Zuma will be just as grateful to all ANC members who put loyalty ahead of principles and the country. — Mitch Launspach, Mogale City

Party lists breed corruption

RICH Mkhondo’s article “SA’s voting system is the elephant in the room” (April 9) was right on the money.

In theory the party list could work but it has none of the checks and balances needed when people with evil intentions are in charge — and there are few politicians with pure hearts.

We have just proved the weakness of the party list. Witness the volteface of comrades Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe and Zweli Mkhize.

This is how criticism is stifled and corruption breeds.

We need to choose our own representatives at grassroots and present them to our chosen party to fight elections. And they must justify their actions and voting.

We cannot continue having party hacks foisted on the electorate. — Mark McLean, Barrydale

Here, wicked are rewarded

I FAIL to understand why corrupt South Africans are not jailed more often.

If you commit a crime, normally you are jailed or fined. This does not happen to the corrupt in South Africa.

If you are found to be corrupt here, you are dismissed, you take the loot and happily go and enjoy the spoils.

You may even go to parliament, particularly if you are in the ANC or are connected to the Guptas or Zuma. Why, Mzansi? We defeated a strong army like the South African Defence Force, and we lose to Zuma and his friends? — Othafa Odinga, Stilfontein

Shield Zuma’s tender eyes

PLEASE my comrades in the ANC, avoid reading articles by Barney Mthombothi and Peter Bruce in the Sunday Times. Comrade President Jacob Zuma should not be affected by these articles. I understand he’s not a fan of reading anyway. — Drumbeat, Johannesburg

Make ministers think twice

I PROPOSE that any minister or government official who takes a court judgment on review at taxpayers’ expense and loses the review or judgment should be ordered by the courts to pay all the costs in their personal capacity. — John Boulle, Bloemfontein