TO THE POINT
Time SS Mendi story mentioned in school books
THANKS for that excellent piece (Sunday Tribune, February 21) on South Africa’s finest, those soldiers of colour who knowingly went down in the service of a government they hoped would care, and with optimism for a future better life for all of us.
In 1979, I was privileged to be a student in Boston, Massachusetts. Looming over its green common was the elegant, copper-domed Boston State House.
I wandered inside to be confronted – no, gobsmacked – by a wonderful, copious photographic exhibition of the SS Mendi and its precious cargo of those noble souls.
Needless to say, I was in tears for those amazing men and also because, despite my 12 years in South African schools, I had never heard of them, or of the fact that black South Africans living so far from the centre of the British Empire stepped most optimistically forward to help the commonwealth create a better world, hopefully also for themselves and their offspring.
I sought out the “office” of this illustrious building to thank them for mounting this exhibition and explained this was the first time I, a South African, had ever heard of the Mendi. They gazed at me in disbelief. It should be compulsory that all South African schools, statefunded and private, include the SS Mendi in their syllabuses. SYLVIA MAGID
Joburg
What happened to trust your doctor?
READING the Sunday Tribune “Parents accused of failing daughter” and “Phoenix doctor cleared” (both February 28) is becoming a common feature.
The Sunday Tribune must be commended as you always provide up-to-date information in this regard.
Sadly, these incidents are only the tip of the iceberg. I am sure there are many untold stories.
It is disturbing when families have total trust in some doctors but they in turn have a “don’t care” attitude.
During the era of our forebears we never heard of this type of action being taken against doctors. What is going wrong?
Why has our rich heritage of selflessness disappeared?
It is time for serious introspection from the community. This is a wake-up call for doctors.
DHAYALAN MOODLEY
Mobeni Heights
HISTORY is a great indicator of where we are as a country and in which direction we are headed.
The political comparison between a pre-war Germany and South Africa is prescient.
Germany was brought to its knees socially and economically by the Weimar Republic. A “saviour” in the form of Adolf Hitler promised to save the ordinary German from a life of misery and we all know how that turned out.
Fast forward to South Africa. Our country is economically at its lowest ebb and a new saviour is promising to rescue us from the Zuma government.
Julius Malema’s modus operandi is alarmingly similar to that of Hitler’s – race hate, a scapegoat on which to blame all ills, violence, a magnetic personality to manipulate the disenchanted masses and the disruption of Parliament. VIJAY GOVENDER
Shallcross
Assassination truth a Cold War secret
THIRTY years ago, on February 28, 1986 at 11.21pm, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, was fatally shot while walking in Stockholm.
The Cold War was in full swing, arms deals were being transacted and Sweden was infested with spies and secret service operatives.
Palme was on the global political radar screen. He was a fascinating politician, an aristocrat and a deeply committed socialist whose policies raised alarm in world capitals.
His killer has never been found. The murder weapon has never been recovered.
Palme was a victim of the Cold War. In the corridors of power, he was earmarked for elimination. The sophistication of the operation, and its cover-up, ensured the truth would never be revealed. The trail is cold – many of his friends were also eliminated in years gone by.
His death, like that of JFK, will haunt the world for decades. As with many assassinated leaders, his legacy is perhaps unfairly overshadowd by the memory of his violent death. FAROUK ARAIE
Joburg
Most use Mandarin
IN THE Sunday Tribune last week, Basdeo Bhagirathi wrote it had been reported “more people speak Hindi than any other language”.
This is incorrect. The most spoken language is Mandarin (1 billion), followed by English (508 million), then Hindustani (497 million.) PETER QUANTRILL
Hillcrest