Sex teachers
Readers back Naidoo
Thank you, Jay Naidoo (“Charge sex teachers”, Daily News, June 25). It’s about time somebody spoke out about these teachers who set a bad example. E Mohamed, Durban.
Jay Naidoo, you are so right. The government should prosecute teachers who indulge in sex with pupils.
I agree with Jay Naidoo that teachers who have sex with pupils should be jailed.
Mr Jay Naidoo, where have you been all this time? I wonder if you would not change your call to have sex teachers charged if you realised that some of these teachers are comrades in the movement. Do you really think the government has the nerve to do anything about it?
Addington Hospital
My elderly relative is in Addington Hospital with renal impairment. Please, health minister, walk into that ward. It stinks and even a visitor will fall sick. There is no aircon and the windows are closed in the passage. The nurses’ areas are fully airconditioned and spotlessly clean. Patients’ food is served on paper plates and they are given plastic spoons. Suresh Gobind, Effingham Heights.
Dr Mhlongo’s denial of the situation at Addington is embarrassing to say the least. This is evident to the scores of frustrated health-care workers and thousands of patients denied adequate health facilities daily. Any doubt can be removed by conducting a simple survey of patients in the hospital, awaiting surgery. The hospital doors may remain open, but the level of care provided is the problem.
I have often written to this newspaper complaining about Addington Hospital and its careless attitude to patients. Now you know the story.
Politics
Dear Mr Zuma, while you are generously redistributing our hard-earned tax money to the IMF, please be aware that charity begins at home and $2 billion could have saved our ailing health-care system, paid our overworked teachers a more liveable wage and protected our policemen and women, who put themselves in the line of fire, daily, often with little or no safety equipment. At the very least, that massive amount of taxpayers’ blood, sweat and tears could have built schools, homes and hospitals for the South Africans you allegedly serve. Elections are around the corner: watch us voice our displeasure with our votes.
When is someone going to take responsibility, from President Jacob Zuma to all the government ministers, SAPS, anyone in any governmental position? Every day on the radio, newspaper and TV, your hear of theft, crime, fraud, mismanagement, corruption, suspensions, abuse, strikes, lying, murder, rape, speeding, blue light bullies and bribery. Why is no one responsible? I hope that one day someone in a top governmental position will do things by the book, fairly and honestly, and that people who do any of the above things are dealt with accordingly, instead of getting away with hectic crime that is slowly turning this country into chaos. I love this country and work my butt off every day, and so do most South Africans. But some are bringing SA to its knees. PJ.
Sport
For Heyneke Meyer to say that the Boks couldn’t revert to Plan B because they couldn’t even master Plan A is one of the dumbest things I’ve heard any coach say, including in the Peter de Villiers era. Yet how come rugby reporters aren’t lampooning him like they did Div?
Is South Africa on a losing streak with the following headlines: “We let the country down: Bok coach” and “Proteas slump to disastrous nine-wicket loss to Zimbabwe”? You are not alone, Bafana Bafana are with you. Sports can be cruel. Brian Jayanathan, Tongaat.
Shaik
To all those Schabir Shaik fans who can’t take us BackChatting about him, we do have a solution for people like you: stop reading the BackChat column. Does the truth hurt?
Leave Shaik alone because he’s done his time? Shaik only did hospital.
Garth Whittaker, there are many other prisoners who are much more ill than Shaik ever was or will be, but who do not have the political connections or funds to do a “Shaik”. Furthermore, I don’t believe he has contributed anything to the good of this country. Andrew Brown.
I agree with Garth Whittaker, leave Shaik alone. It is amazing how the moment Shaik’s name comes up, the vultures circle. No one has asked how come only the so-called corruptor got 15 years, and no one will answer questions about the possible connections to the arms deal. Even Richard Mdluli is not that vilified. Go figure. AR Britz, Durban.
TV/radio
SABC, please repeat
at an earlier time. It is not suitable at 2am. has two repeats, one on SABC3 and one on SABC2.
At 6.50pm I entered the 7de Laan competition, but it was closed. How do we answer the question before we hear the answer in the episode?
Radio Lotus: why do you broadcast such trash music? Top bands such as Prema, Padma, Regal, Vishnu, Shainaaz and the likes have recordings with the SABC. Look into your archives and feature these bands. Please introduce a separate programme for rap, hip hop and chutney. Mr Ear-ache, YWP.
Odds and ends
To ambulance drivers: is it necessary to use your sirens at 5am when there’s no traffic on Victoria Embankment towards Addington Hospital? E Mohamed, Durban.
Recently I heard that the Metal Industry Pension/ Provident Fund had a huge surplus fund of about R50bn. This money was enough to make each member a millionaire. Now I hear that R20bn has apparently “vanished”. What is going on? That is our money. For once in our lives make us millionaires and we will put all that money back into the economy anyway. Bob, Wentworth.
Do the hard-pressed ratepayers of Durban who cough up R31 million to sponsor the Top Gear Festival realise that when Jeremy Clarkson was asked who was paying for this, he said “you, you motherf*****s”. Nice. Glen L.
Funny how a section of the Blue Lagoon bridge collapses soon after upgrading to accommodate cycling lane? – from One flew over!
Just to let everyone know that the “once-off” R30 e-Natis fee that was implemented a few years ago and that was supposed to pay for the e-Natis system and that is now raised every year when your car licence comes up for renewal, is in fact not for e-Natis but is to fund the Road Traffic Management Corporation (a body set up to administer traffic law enforcement). What this means is that local registering authorities must pay the corporation a transaction fee, which is passed on to the motorist and added to the licence fee.
My elderly neighbour had a burglary recently. Among the stolen items were two things of great sentimental value: a pair of silver candlesticks brought out of Lithuania by her grandparents, and a musical jewellery box with a little ballerina given to her as a child. If anyone is offered these for sale, please contact Umbilo
Our religious leaders do us Hindus a great disservice. The previous government recognised two school holidays for Diwali due to overlapping auspicious times on the Hindu calendar. These times have compromised by alternating between Tamil and Hindi times, so we do not celebrate on days pertaining to us. Christians have four days, Muslims claim two. Hindu “leaders” meekly seek one. These days should be used to instil values in young Hindus. Antifireworks.
NUM’S Irvin Jim is not giving our 7.5 million unemployed any chance of employment with his reckless chantings. Please think before you open your mouth, Mr Jim. Gumede.
I can’t believe the lack of powers of observation, or stupidity, by large numbers of drivers who either can’t read or choose to ignore signs warning of the closure of Manning/Lena Ahrens Road. It makes me wonder how many cannot read and bought their licences. Andrew.
Butter or margarine? Easy, Sanavun. Our body recognises natural foods. Butter is best, but ghee is better.
New trains in 2015: will the track between Durban and Cape Town be repaired by then? At the moment you have to go via Johannesburg and overnight there before going to Cape Town. Lone Ranger.
Foreigners do it for themselves. Why can’t South Africans?
And finally…
“Live pianists” are usually served with a dash of melody. SC.