Mabuza is focused on only one thing — serving SA

The Sunday Times published an article on October 11 2020 titled “There is no plot to take over the ANC”. The article contained baseless speculations about Deputy President David Mabuza being up to something in leadership succession in the governing party.

Whereas the article is based on an interview with Paul Mashatile, its opening line, in our view, attempts to draw the deputy president to unfounded assertions that he is involved in a clandestine campaign to oust the president. This is unfortunate and unwarranted.

The deputy president has been a campaigner for a united ANC that is free of factionalism. The deputy president also reiterated that the ANC is strongly united behind its renewal programme as led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and focused on the single mission of renewing the organisation to serve communities better.

It is public knowledge that the deputy president has reaffirmed the relevance and centrality of the ANC’s constitution and continues to strongly encourage leaders and members of the party to desist from the wrongful practice of perpetually discussing leadership changes when the actual material conditions of the people of SA demand of the party to be focused on programmes to change those conditions. It is through a united focus on addressing these prevailing challenges that a prosperous society can be built.

Furthermore, our country is going through a period of economic challenges that require us to fully support the president as he leads the country into economic growth and prosperity. It would be incorrect for the leaders within the party and government to de-focus the president, as the role of leaders within the party and across society is to unite behind the president and the mandate given to the party by the people.

It is therefore incorrect to suggest that this deputy president would focus on anything other than the responsibilities entrusted to him by the president to work with the collective of government in creating a better life for the people of SA.

As the deputy president always says: “The journey to unity will not be easy and attained overnight. It is only through persistence and staying the course that we will overcome.”

Matshepo Seedat, media liaison officer in the office of the deputy president

Catch the political charlatans early

William Gumede, your article “Let us not be the victims of narcissistic leaders like Zuma and Magashule” (Sunday Times, October 11) was an important one.

Let me quote your very last sentence in full: “Ordinary citizens, civil society organisations and democratic institutions should serve as checks and balances to constrain the toxic excesses of narcissistic leaders and vote them out at the earliest opportunity.”

They should not have been there for a start. They should not have had a playing field to feed their narcissist egos at all.

Why are those men and women in politics for a start? Do they have a historical record of caring for people ?

Do they live modestly and care for the hopeless ones, or is it just another shrewd way to honey and money?

If an aspiring political candidate cannot pass a test that shows they have aboveaverage emotional intelligence, meaning a solid yearning to care for people, send them to the South Pole.

Prof, can you imagine if you have such well-balanced and caring politicians how the money budgeted will be scrutinised? How it will lift suffering people out of mud and poverty?

Democracy should now be utilised in a 21st-century way. We now have historical records on how “the will of the people” has been suffocated. We now need to have abundantly moral people in parliament, in local government, spreading into society and perhaps even into business too.

We need to start walking tall. The suffering must stop. The charlatans must be stopped before they reach the corridors of power. We need clean moral power, not prostituting power and wasted decades. Wim van der Walt, Bellville

Prepare for more SAA bailouts

Unfortunately, public enterprises directorgeneral Kgathatso Tlhakudi’s earnest oped, “Future SAA will be given a fresh start deserving of its vital economic role” (October 11), omits the fundamental first step — an honest assessment of the problem. Instead, he offers commonplace assertions about the aviation sector’s key economic role and how “lucky” we are to have a competitive and vibrant sector.

Commercial success is not luck, DG, and SAA certainly isn’t part of the sector you’ve described!

So why did SAA fail? Is the glib “bad decisions and poor governance practices” all that your department has learnt from R30bn school fees?

How will SAA “not be allowed to follow the destructive path of its predecessor”? If you don’t know your history you’re doomed to repeat it.

The DG says clear thinking is needed for industry resuscitation — and provides none, only corkers like it is “immoral to leave SAA employees in the streets”. And not immoral to prevent entrepreneurs from creating real jobs in the sector? Or, more pointedly, not immoral to pour billions down a vanity project rabbit hole while schools lack decent toilets?

However, the DG is on point when he reveals why the government is so determined to defy gravity: we need a national carrier to “promote SA to the rest of the world”.

Prepare for a very expensive deal with Ethiopian Airlines, or more bailouts.

Chris Hock, Houghton

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