Eaton out of his depth

Business Day is one of the few quality sources of content around, but Tom Eaton’s alarmist hatchet column on National Health Insurance (NHI) was a disservice to your readers (“NHI is far worse than Jacob Zuma’s craziest idea”, August 13).

The analogy between the proposed nuclear deal under Jacob Zuma and NHI is lazy at best and dangerous at worst. The nuclear deal, which was corrupt in its very genesis and the probable product of an elaborate bribe, is likened to a genuine attempt to provide quality universal health care to all. Of course, there are problems with it that others have pointed out far better.

It is clear that Eaton has not read the latest NHI Bill, the report on the outcomes of the first pilot study or any of the primary material.

If he was trying to be funny, he failed. Instead, we have more of the tired narrative that defines his work: that everything and everyone is screwed, thanks to the black government in charge. His attempt to exaggerate for comedic effect simply translates into a poor attempt to conceal his lack of knowledge. It’s getting boring now.

Why is Eaton given this platform to routinely deliver ill-researched, alarmist work?

Fact-driven columns and commentary are what set Business Day’s opinion section apart. Columnists such as Carol Paton and Stuart Theobald provide us with nuanced, deeply researched work that informs and engages.

Eaton cruises on his privilege and comfortable Tiso Blackstar Group contract and delivers mediocre work routinely, which is more heat than light and rarely, if ever, even a little funny. Let other parts of the group deal with it. Business Day continuing to publish him is poor form.

Verashni Hutchinson Johannesburg