Columnist is muddled and absurd
I have tried for years to work out whether regular columnists should be read as serious analysts or ignored as lighthearted teasers of facts.
Peter Bruce, in his latest offering in the Sunday Times (March 31), suggests poor ability on my part yet fails to be convincing on the key issues that were the focus of my visit to the US.
It is useful to respond briefly to the muddled views. First, the claim that South Africa does not have diplomats of any authority on the ground in Washington DC is devoid of truth. Ambassador Ndumiso Ntshinga has implemented a welldesigned programme since being assigned to Washington last year. It is his energetic efforts that supported the development of the programme for my visit.
Second, both our countries are continuing their work at all levels to strengthen our relations even further despite the bill tabled by congressman John James, which oddly attempts to suggest South Africa cannot have a foreign policy independent of its trading partner. It is most strange that Mr Bruce seemingly believes we should defer to the US. We do not share this view.
Most sadly, this icon of journalistic excellence refers to our relations with Russia, China, Iran and, most oddly, Hamas (with which we do not have a formal relationship). The belief concerning the three countries mentioned appears to be that South Africa must be an enemy of any enemy of the US. This is clearly muddled and absurd.
Bruce continued to suggest that meeting senators and congressmen in the foreign relations committee was an indication of my inability, and that meeting various influential black leaders and organisations was a wasted effort.
All this is most disappointing from a regular writer who should know better.
It makes one wonder why such writing and misrepresentation deserves a free, regular column.
Naledi Pandor , Minister of international relations and co-operation
ANC’s sabotage Tshwane
Dr Kgosi Maepa’s recent opinion piece, akin to his “breaking news” tweets, is an attempt by a self-proclaimed spin doctor to discredit the DA. In typical Maepa fashion, his criticism lacks substance, relying on buzz statements about an “exodus of black DA leaders”, fabrications about the DA’s stance on social grants and criticism of service delivery in Tshwane.
Understanding Tshwane’s financial situation and the hollowness of Maepa’s attacks requires contextualising his tenure as ANC caucus leader.
His leadership failure resulted in his caucus turning against him and his resignation as a councillor.
Tshwane was unlawfully placed under administration by the Gauteng government in 2020. Despite Maepa’s criticism of the DA-led coalition government, he conveniently omits that this illegal power grab swiftly plunged the city from a budget surplus of R400m to a deficit of R4bn, leaving the city crippled. The budget deficit, a creation of the ANC, continues to hamper service delivery.
It’s crucial to highlight that Maepa, as the ANC caucus leader, played a central role in ensuring the council was ungovernable, setting the stage for the illegal seizure of power.
As a result, Maepa departed in disgrace after losing the support of his caucus, who went without salaries for months due to his orchestrated coup. However, he was subsequently rewarded with a position in the premier’s office.
ANC ward councillors in Tshwane have initiated a go-slow, refusing to prioritise service delivery in their township wards to fabricate a narrative that the DA neglects townships.
During the illegal strike in 2023, DA councillors worked tirelessly with stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted service and fulfil their mandates.
While the ANC in Tshwane voted against salary increases, they hypocritically attempted to depict the DA as “anti-poor” and “anti-worker”. [But] they changed their tune, suddenly advocating salary increases. Unlike their DA counterparts who tirelessly fought for their residents, ANC councillors sat idly by as residents suffered, opting to point fingers at the DA. Such hypocrisy is not by accident, it is by design.
The DA is under no illusion about the state of Tshwane, the most significant factor being its financial situation. But it is on the path to recovery under executive mayor Cilliers Brink.
In one year, we have witnessed Tshwane achieve an enhanced audit outcome and a notable increase in service delivery.
Criticism is an acceptable opposition tactic, sabotage is not.
Liza Albrecht, Senior specialist: DA communications, Cape Town
Palestinians are not against peace
Samuel Hyde (“It’s clear what the Palestinians really want”, March 31) is wrong on two counts. First, it is not true that “the Jews” want a state — only Zionist Jews want a state.
Second, he states that justice is not absolute and, therefore, the Palestinians are anti-peace because they refuse anything less than the absolute return of their country. But this is contradicted by the disappearance of the apartheid state of South Africa which has shown us that justice demands absolutely nothing more and nothing less than itself.
Paul Wessels, Makhanda