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MVENYA’S TEAM SEEMS STRONG

VELISWA Mvenya “V-Power” is undoubtedly Nqaba Bhanga’s senior when it comes to politics in general and DA politics in particular. But because we support party policy which states freedom, fairness and opportunity for all, everyone is free to contest any election. Mvenya’s team seems strong and evenly spread across the province, which gives representation and a voice to every member in the province. COLLIN G

E-MAIL STORM

IN a world where women are routinely raped because of their religion, where men are killed for not changing their religion, and where political and religious leaders connive at these crimes, The Herald names Donald Trump as an example of religious intolerance (“Foster religious tolerance in Bay”, February 21). Get real! ED KIRWIN

“RACIAL e-mail causes storm” (February 20): The Herald got it wrong with your headline by calling this a racial storm. If you read your own story, you will notice all parties quoted in this piece refer to religious intolerance or religious discrimination, not that this is to be condoned, but your sensationalist journalism for maximum effect is offensive. I know several white followers of the Muslim faith, so fail to see this as a racial incident. The Herald, don’t stoop to cheap sensationalist reporting to bolster your readership. LEG

HOW does being anti-Muslim, anti-Christian or even anti-Buddhist make you a racist? It certainly qualifies you as an idiot and a bigot, but a racist, really. Maybe we are just using that term a bit too loosely these days. MJ

FIXING LEAKS WILL BUY TIME

PLUMBER shortage: can anyone from our council tell us what, if anything, has been done about employing the 28 plumbers the metro needs to stem the water leaks? Time is fast running out, Annette Lovemore, if, as reported, we only have 490 days’ supply left (“Bay could run dry by next June”, February 20). As there is no quick-fix, obviously repairing the leaks can buy us a little more time while we all pray for a miracle. SANDY

THE Wessa public meeting this evening in the City Hall on the challenges facing water service delivery in the NMBM will start at 5.30pm and not 5pm as previously specified. MARTHEANNE

HOLD COUNCIL ACCOUNTABLE FOR SCHEMES

SURELY it is time for the ratepayers of this city to rise up and hold the council to account for the clear and obvious wastage of money on superfluous and ridiculous events like the “City of Champions” (“City of Champions reports to municipality doctored”, February 21). Councillors are too naive. They are suckered into these grand schemes which only make these promoters rich at our expense. R21.7-million spent on what? Stop this rot, Mayor Trollip! RATEPAYER

THE City Of Champions events appear to be childish, organised by school children for school children with absolutely no idea about the value of money spent or how to equate this to social cohesion. How on earth can anyone evaluate if this was met in any way? Of course it is just another excuse to go on an unaccountable spending spree using other people’s money! BARRY

RETURN LAND TO THE PEOPLE

THE only solution for the land issue is war on the sunset clause and 99-year leases. The masters of the previous rogue regime gave prime land for a pittance to their Nationalist white supporters before 1994. The solution to avoid anarchy is a referendum for the people to decide to abolish 99-year leases and sunset clauses, and return the stolen land to the people. EBRAHIEM BABOO

INSPIRING STORY

WHAT a good story by Khusta Jack on Athenkosi Mbetshu, the student who did well in his studies at UCT (“Succeeding despite poverty”, February 17). LULAMILE MBANJWA, MOSEL, UITENHAGE

REPLIES TO READERS’ COMMENTS

ED Kirwin (“Replies to readers’ comments”, February 10), you put words into my mouth and you miss the point. I never mentioned “forgiveness or mercy” (“Rather show compassion”, February 6). And I said “distrust compassion, prefer dignity for yourself and others”.

Calling for prisoners to be rehabilitated and wanting them to be treated with dignity in the hope that the cycle of violence will be broken does not mean that one does not support a prison term. In line with the constitution, I presume Celeste Barker (“Welcome sentence”, February 9) supports the rehabilitation and the humane treatment of all prisoners?

Naturally one hopes that a sentence will serve as a deterrent and I suspect that is what Barker was saying? But the courts must be consistent! Was Barker “happy” with six years for the brutal murder of Reeva Steenkamp? And did you support the six-year sentence handed to Oscar Pistorius? Lest we forget. LEFTIST

I AGREE with D R Galloway. Don’t try and shout the ANC out of power. Vote them out, if you can. A MYBURGH, RICHMOND HILL, PORT ELIZABETH

ASHAMED OF DEAD STREET LIGHTS

I FETCHED someone from the airport and was ashamed when driving through Target Kloof with half the lights out and for five years at least. WS