Leon’s useful contribution

Tony Leon’s piece “Cyril Ramaphosa Can Take Valuable Pointers from Roosevelt’s Playbook” (February 15) reminded me of the time when leaders of political parties had something thoughtful and useful to contribute. Barack Obama not Donald Trump. Tony Blair not Jeremy Corbyn. Leon not the DA corporate leadership.

DA spokesperson Solly Malatsi responded to the Institute for Race Relations’s accusation that the party is indistinguishable from the ANC by confirming that the DA regards race as a proxy for disadvantage but “race is not the only proxy for it, because it is well evidenced that race cannot be the only determinate”. If that is so, why not say it instead of saying the opposite. Having your cake and eating it doesn’t go down too well.

Sydney Kaye Cape Town