Readers’ Views

No red-letter day for music legends

THE new set of postage stamps depicting South African music legends is nothing to celebrate, “Mailorder pride” (July 6).

Is it just me who could not recognise the artists depicted by Vumile Mavumengwana? The depictions are crude and few will recognise the great Brenda Fassie or Miriam Makeba. Taliep Petersen and many of the others look more like botched wood carvings.

— Ayesha Ranchod, Lenasia

Telkom should simplify bills

DUNCAN McLeod’s article about Telkom’s efforts to reform attitudes towards customers refers, “Telkom boss signals a change of attitude” (July 6). That same week, I received an e-mail from Telkom informing me of upgrades and the pricing of its internet service packages.

A problem arises when one attempts to compare one’s current monthly bill with the offers in the new promotion. The terminology used in the account bears no resemblance to the terms used in the advertisement.

My account refers to “TI-All Access Standard 5GB” at R86.84. What is this? Nowhere have I ever seen it in a Telkom advert. In addition, the adverts display tables of prices that are quite different to what appears on our bills.

Why must a customer struggle to work out what he is currently paying for and will pay on the newer schedule? Surely a bill should use the same terms as appears on promotional material?

One feels that Telkom prefers to bamboozle customers by obfuscating the charging system.

— LS Steinhardt, Port Alfred

Income gap will be oil on the fire

CAPITALISM in the 21st century — what is it all about? We see only greed, corruption and cynical views from the top business elite.

CEOs are willing to pay themselves R73-million bonuses but deny workers a living wage. Nike was happy to sponsor Tiger Woods for more than the wages of their entire workforce in their factories in Asia. Farmers drive around in the newest luxury vehicles and say their labourers don’t deserve more. The new political elite are happy to squander billions on toys for themselves and let the poor live in squalor.

I cannot see this as a sustainable economic blueprint. I do not believe that the masses will put up with such a system for too much longer.

Shareholders demand better and better dividends and so are terrified to widen the shareholder base to include workers, in case they lose investors. But bear in mind that the workers are the important human investment in any enterprise.

In the mining world, the flames are smouldering — and the farming community will soon feel the heat.

Surely we have bright enough young economists and businessmen to work out a better system than the present form of capitalism?

We just need one brave company to set up a blueprint for a more equitable system for all employees. I believe it is time for good brains to get together and work out a more sustainable economic system — and the sooner the better.

— R Calmeyer Leach, Kenton-on-Sea

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