Two-thirds majority required?

Rights of women should always be safeguarded

AS WE mark the anniversary of Women’s Day and Women’s Month, we must redouble our efforts to protect women and girls from violence and abuse.

I ask myself: Where are the ANC Women’s League and groups whose mission is to safeguard against the abuse, debasing and belittling of women and girls from anyone and in any form, and to ensure our rights are not trampled on?

No matter what political affiliation one has – the rights of women should, and must always be, safeguarded. Why have the ANC and the ANC Women’s League not taken a public stance against politicians’ public abuse of women? Why have women in leadership positions not spoken against this abuse?

The leaders of our country seem very comfortable to be in a public forum and belittle women who are brave enough to say, “I am capable of running this country too”.

To all the male leaders of political parties‚ I ask: What are we doing about this? It’s part of the decay of our democracy if we cannot respect women.

If the ANC is serious about violence, in particular against women, and if it believes it cares about the rights of all citizens, including gay people, it will remove Deputy Higher Education and Training Minister Mduduzi Manana.

S LAKHI Mooi River

AS I understand the provisions of the constitution, a two-thirds majority is required to remove the president.

According to the information available, there are 395 members of Parliament. Am I correct in assuming that 264 votes were required to remove the incumbent and a simple majority would not have been sufficient?

Are there any other views or opinions on this issue or are there other considerations that I may have missed? ANAND JAYRAJH Durban THE Israeli regime is not only becoming more aggressive with its ever-expanding illegal settlement programmes on the West Bank and al-quds (Jerusalem) but also more brazen in encroaching on Al-masjid and Al-aqsa.the Zionists are pursuing a threepronged strategy. West Bank lands are subjected to creeping annexation. In Jerusalem, they are pushing to occupy the holy sanctuary under the pretext that on its site once stood their second temple. And the tiny Gaza Strip, home to 1.8-million Palestinians, is subjected to a tight siege that has created mass poverty.

The issue is power. The Zionist regime has one of the most heavily armed militaries, amply supplied by the US and European powers.

Zionist squatters have embarked on an aggressive policy to occupy the holy sanctuary. Their aim is to destroy it and in its place build their mythical third temple.

MAHMOUD RANGILA Isipingo Hills

I WAS arrested for an assault charge. The victim laid a charge, and the next day the police arrived at my house, and I was arrested.

This after I merely subdued an arrogant, disrespectful young man who thought he was Mike Tyson. I thought all citizens were treated equally under the law.

How come, five days after an assault charge is laid, Deputy Higher Education and Training Minister, Mduduzi Manana is still walking around a free man, despite there being video footage evidence of his assault and despite the police having his physical address on hand?

Police Minister, Fikile Mbalula said the police must not rush the investigation? What? Why then do they rush it with other assault charges and arrest the alleged perpetrator the next day?

Sounds like double standards to me. DEREK KRUMMECK umhlanga