The Independent on Saturday

Heartening Easter display of ubuntu spirit

- From: R MUNISAMY

THE aroma of the religious fervour still continues to perfume the atmosphere with ubuntu, love, forgivenes­s.

Good Friday and other Easter religious events are just over, but I dare say the spirit engendered by these will linger for some time.

An example is the article on page 20 of the The Independen­t on Saturday (March 31) under the headline, “Handshakes all round before Test”.

This noble idea was instigated by Tim Paine, the new Australian captain. His South African counterpar­t, Faf du Plessis, magnanimou­sly reciprocat­ed in a gracious, positive ubuntu spirit.

How did it turn out? With congratula­tions and high praise for the display of goodwill.

I hope the hate campaign of further plunging and twisting the dagger in the body of the unfortunat­e and unsporting behaviour of the guilty Australian players will come to an end. After all, all of us subscribe to the dictum of “to forgive is divine”.

And further, how edifying it would have been if magistrate Pravina Raghoonand­an had declared before sentencing Vicki Momberg to three years in prison thus: “Vicki Momberg, I am constraine­d by the fact that there have been numerous cases of racehate attacks that went unpunished or totally ignored. Pray tell me what is the difference between your ‘k-word’ and Julius Malema’s current attacks. So to send the correct message, I sentence you to a fine with the sentence suspended.”

Fellow readers, please forgive me for thinking like this.

 ?? PICTURE: NHLANHLA PHILLIPS/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) ?? MESSAGE: Vicki Momberg.
PICTURE: NHLANHLA PHILLIPS/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) MESSAGE: Vicki Momberg.

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