Dirty DA politics behind closed doors

‘SOME shady characters on August party lists” (May 15), which reported on candidates on the DA and ANC lists for the local government elections, came as no surprise to me.

As a former member of the DA’s federal council, I have found numerous anomalies that fly in the face of the good and fair governance that the DA purports as its mantra. The reality is that if you are a “yes man” and do not have the courage to challenge the bosses, you are in the game.

By way of illustration, the DA candidate for a ward in the eThekwini municipality, not long ago, stood for elections as chairman and vicechairman of the branch executive. He failed in his bid to be elected. Three weeks later, he lodged a complaint that he had been prejudiced because he was not notified of the meeting according to the regulations that govern notification with regard to AGMs — even though he attended the AGM.

This corrupt conduct was reported to the party but because the candidate was a “pal” of one of those in leadership, it was ignored. This resulted in the entire branch executive — which had delivered a previously ANC-held ward to the DA — resigning.

I wonder if people are aware of how dirty politics can get and what reality is often kept away from the public until it is too late. The squeaky clean image of the DA is not what it is cracked up to be. —Narendh Ganesh, Durban North

Progress on ARV journey

THANKS for publishing “Mbeki revives the pain” (May 8) by Dr Zweli Mkhize.

As an ordinary doctor who started working in the state health services in 1996, I can relate to the pain and frustration he expresses about patients who you could do nothing further for at that time, after they were diagnosed as HIV-positive.

Doctors in the paediatrics ward of a busy state tertiary hospital had many babies and children who came back for repeated admissions with cases of recurrent pneumonia. Eventually, when their immune system could no longer take it, they succumbed.

Antibiotics and vitamins were the only medications we could offer then, when in fact what was needed was antiretrovirals.

Fast-forward to the present day: from September 2016, we will put everyone who tests positive on ARVs, regardless of CD4 count. This concept, known as test and treat, has been recommended by the World Health Organisation, and our country is also going to do that.

The journey has been long but significant progress has been made. All the efforts of the present administration in achieving this are appreciated and should be applauded. — Femi, by e-mail

Do the Beaters go on?

IT’S nice to read about the most powerful surviving member of the township bands, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, in “No burnout 50 years on” (May 15). I still remember him playing drums for the Beaters, playing Bacon and Eggs with guys like Selby Ntuli. That was 1970 in the Atteridgeville community hall. It was good, very good. Please ask Bro Sipho if he has something from the group, or where we can find old-school music from the Movers, Flaming Souls and Beaters. — Kenneth Leballo, by e-mail

Science of nutrition

VICTORIA Lambert’s “Half-baked ‘clean eating’ fad under fire in diet bun fight” (May 15) suggests that nutritionists are unscientific.

A lot of evidence shows that many diseases are attributable to nutritional and dietary issues, whether it is deficiencies or toxicities.

The WHO, some time ago, reported that, worldwide, 60% of all deaths are attributable to diseases of lifestyle, including diet. People need a wake-up with their lifestyle, and this article is a step backwards. — Brett Lederle, by e-mail

Rose-coloured glasses

“LOOKING at the Bible through pink lenses” (May 15) refers. If you believe in stories like Noah’s ark, then I suppose you can believe in pink fairies too. — Chip, by e-mail

Voice of reason from Ulundi

IN “Calling Ulundi, Ulundi” (May 8), Hogarth rightly pointed out that “when one is looking to evoke the high moral ground”, calling on IFP president Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi is a good way to go.

Since the National Assembly became a theatre of embarrassing

Jansen was stating fact

“JUDGE knows pain of bias all too well” (May 15) refers. I feel sorry for Judge Mabel Jansen for stating a proven fact. However, she uttered it wearing the wrong skin colour and sitting in the wrong chair. Can it be denied that black women in particular have been victims of rape for many years, or that the perpetrators have been black males?

As a black man let me state a proven fact, without fear of being labelled racist: We have a culture of destroying property when we protest against decisions and policies that effect us socially, politically and economically

The recent destruction of more than 20 schools in Limpopo in protests over politically related issues is evidence of this.

The majority of unemployed South Africans are black, particularly the youth. If pupils and students burn schools and universities they will end up without a quality education and won’t be employable. This will leave only white kids possessing the knowledge and skills needed by our country.

It is our responsibility as black people to turn back the tide of this social curse and become a race without the kinds of faults that might be used against us by those who are supposedly angelic. — Kgosietsile Molefi, Vanderbijlpark displays, a sole voice of reason has called parliament back to the dignity and order our nation deserves. That voice is the voice of Prince Buthelezi.

At no time, however, did the Speaker say, hint or suggest that “his advanced age would somehow cause MPs to behave better”. Hogarth simply attributed this motive because he can’t stand speaking well of his favourite whipping boy. — Narend Singh, IFP, by e-mail

Untangling cat’s cradle

IN “Afeni Shakur: Inspiration for a son’s rap tribute” (May 8), Monica Laganparsad writes an otherwise touching piece on the late Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s activist mom whose single-handed efforts in raising him he honoured with such love and JUDGE NOT: Judge Mabel Jansen is under pressure to resign

Tumbling to conclusions

I DO not think Judge Jansen’s comments were racist. They are an error of judgment. Because there are many more blacks than whites, people mistakenly think that all of the crimes Jansen referred to were committed by black people. Don’t forget the “Modimolle monster”, for example.

In Grahamstown, I appeared for the state in an appeal in which a white man’s wife held down her daughter while he raped the girl.

A similar error is reflected in advocate Simmy Lebala’s view that Jansen was a better candidate than black applicants for the post. The system allowed whites to study, research and present in their own languages. Otherwise, whites are like any other Jack and Jill. — Mongezi N, Western Cape respect in the song Dear Mama.

There’s an unfortunate misattribution, though — Cat’s in the Cradle was made famous not by Cat Stevens but by the late American folk singer Harry Chapin.

It’s a common mistake that started small and has become a fully fledged urban and suburban myth. — Reid Abrahams, Cape Town