What have the ‘good elder statesmen’ been doing while SA burns?

YOUR vicious diatribe against FW de Klerk on May 13 seems calculated to offend many readers and is an insult to the Nobel Foundation, which presumably researched him thoroughly before awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize.

Obviously, this prize was awarded not to honour De Klerk’s political views, but to honour his saving SA from a bloodbath – an achievement that called for courage and presence of mind, particularly as the then SADF could probably have easily destroyed the ANC’S forces.

It seems you failed to notice that De Klerk’s handover of power was not an unconditional surrender. It was a negotiated settlement in good faith, with safeguards to protect minority rights. It didn’t take the ANC long to ride rough-shod over that settlement with legislation under the mantle of affirmative action that discriminated against, and severely disadvantaged whites, also expropriating their much- needed agricultural land. This has seen SA become a net importer of food under the ANC.

In the circumstances, your lecture about the correct function of elder statesmen was amusing. You insinuate that De Klerk “heightens false fears that a certain section of our nation is faced with extinction”. Tell us, what were the “good elder statesmen” of the ANC doing while about 3 500 white farmers and family members have been murdered and tortured to death since 1994, and prominent blacks openly sang that inflammatory song, Kill the Boer?

You should read recently published alarming and scathing remarks by our auditor-general and public protector about what’s happening in this country.

What have the ANC’S “good elder statesmen” been doing about this, apart from fiddling while Rome burns?