June 29 to July 5 2007

No more floor-crossing

Hats off to the African National Congress (ANC), which at its recent policy conference revealed that it intends to discuss the immoral floor-crossing legislation at its national conference in December, where there will undoubtedly be a strong recommendation that it be scrapped.

In the meantime, the party has proposed that it would not accept any defectors from any other political parties during the floor-crossing window period beginning on September 1. This is good news for the majority of voters, who for years have watched in helpless disgust whenever cheating, unscrupulous politicians have taken their votes across the floor to another party.

But what of the other political parties? Are they willing to make the same honest commitment as the ANC before September 1? I doubt it. The Democratic Alliance, which led the initial charge of the ”crosstitute” brigade, is apparently still trying to encourage potential defectors from other political parties to join them — with, of course, the promise of lucrative positions.

Patricia de Lille, being a ”crosstitute” herself, has indicated that the Independent Democrats will take advantage of the floor-crossing legislation.

Whatever happens, we voters will be looking on with interest during the two-week window period from September 1. We will have the opportunity to express our real feelings on the matter during the general election in 2009. — Frank Hartry, Kingsburgh

Brief comments

If only I could write like Andy Capostagno! (”Humble pie on Tri-Nations menu”, June 22) — Nelis Kruger, Paarl

The horrific pictures of a whale slaughter at the port of Wada, east of Tokyo, after the embargo on coastal whaling was lifted last week makes me wonder if there any limits to Japanese arrogance. These atrocities against whales are beyond comprehension. This is not a ”tradition”, nor is it done using traditional hunting techniques. They should be using canoes, paddles and spears! — Vivienne Ortega, Victoria, Australia

Mpofu is no friend of soccer

The spat between the SABC and PSL has shown up SABC CEO Dali Mpofu in a disgraceful light. Board member Eddie Funde has complained that more money will be spent on buying games from Supersport. It’s our money that will be used.

The PSL made the right choice by giving Supersport the broadcast rights. The SABC has dismally failed to bring more games to the many of us who are poor.

It has failed to broadcast midweek games. People have been left with no option but to listen to games on the radio or buy DStv, which they don’t want to do.

Mpofu is not the right person to speak of the aspirations of the poor as he doesn’t care about them. He thought that the SABC has the natural right to broadcast PSL games.

Mpofu wants the public to protect and sympathise with him over his mistake of providing poor coverage of PSL games. That’s hogwash. Irvin Khoza was right to say that the market must determine who gets the broadcast rights. — Parapara Makgahlela, Saulsville

On Friday June 15, sports reporter Robert Marawa read out an email critical of the SABC and its CEO, Dali Mpofu, on his Discovery Sports show. Could this have contributed to his sacking by the SABC? Whatever the reasons for him being red-carded, the corporation’s leadership on this issue has been disappointing.

The letter conceded that Mpofu had a point in questioning the legality of the deal on soccer coverage between the PSL and Supersport.

But it complained that he and the national broadcaster had demonstrated arrogance and disrespect ”of huge proportions” in regard to football, and that Mpofu spoke of the game ”as if he owned it”.

”I doubt if any soccer-loving South African would ever have respect for Mpofu,” it said. ”At least he will never enjoy mine, as far as football is concerned.”

The letter-writer praised the PSL for recognising that in their past dealings with the SABC they had received the short end of the stick, and for Supersport and other bidders for having ”upped the game”.

”Even if the SABC were to win the rights (which Mpofu claims is part of the signed contract) at least we can take comfort from knowing that the PSL will have a better offer than the one they have now.”

The writer urged Mpofu to stop spitting fire ”and exposing his lack of tact” and deal with his ”rather toothless” leadership at the SABC. The current state of affairs at the SABC suggested he had no proper leadership strategy.

What must have really angered the SABC’s leaders was the writer’s list of other problems at the corporation. These included the censoring of the documentary on President Thabo Mbeki, the massive exodus of critical staff, and interference ”which has made the SABC lose credibility as an independent critical institution”.

He said viewers and listeners were still waiting for heads to roll following Mpofu’s promise after the John Perlman saga. — Mthetho C Tshemese

Job equity must be enforced

According to Deloitte and Touche’s National Remuneration Guide, 81% of companies have difficulty recruiting because of a lack of skills. This contradicts Employment Equity Commission chairperson Jimmy Manyi, who says the skills shortage is an ”urban legend”. I agree that companies experience skills shortages because white managers refuse to appoint blacks.

The MD of the Black Management Forum (BMF), Mncane Mthunzi, also says black skills are under­utilised, and that reports from BMF members employed in human resources find that the employment equity inspectorate cannot engage companies when numbers indicate a lack of transformation.

As a black graduate, I was unemployed for three years while white friends with inferior results found work easily. Eventually employed but receiving no meaningful training or skills transfer, I was forced to work in the United Kingdom. I was sent on courses and skills were transferred. This allowed me to excel in my roles and I was twice promoted.

Returning to South Africa, I found nothing had changed, as I was undermined at work while my international experience and qualifications were belittled.

Dealing with Cape Town’s employment equity inspectorate has been frustrating. When I blew the whistle on a company I worked for for not complying with the Employment Equity Act, the inspector stated he couldn’t force a company to employ blacks.

I propose that Manyi develops a database, in conjunction with the BMF and universities, of unemployed black graduates to give to companies who say there is a skills shortage, while ensuring that labour inspectorates enforce employment equity. — Kaizer Z Ntloko, Khayelitsha

Lazy bones

I am surprised to see that youth movements have involved themselves in the broadcast issue regarding Premier Soccer League matches. What exactly is the purpose of these youth movements? It seems to me that they are just young politicians in training.

Given the resources we need as a developing country, they are a waste of time. Just because the current government politicians ascended to their positions through the ”movement”, it doesn’t mean it’s the only way to go. Their circumstances were different.

What the youth should be doing is earning their rightful places through working to develop the country in other fields such as commerce, science, technology, the law, education … the scope is limitless. But of course they are just lazy bones who have appointed themselves judges of other people’s work that they don’t even understand. If that will qualify them as tomorrow’s leaders, then the country is doomed! — Kgosi Maimane, Fourways

Promote national soccer coaches

Indigenous coaches in Africa are scorned even by local players and media. This causes our countries to hire foreign coaches who are paid a monthly salary that a teacher would only make in his entire life. The results that African football has had internationally do not prove that foreign coaches have led us where we could not otherwise have been.

Fifa requires national teams in international competitions to be citizens of the country they are playing for. This rule should apply to coaches and their assistants too. Knowing that there is no other alternative, our people will learn to respect our indigenous talents: both players and coaches.

Our football has matured to a level allowing indigenous coaches to do the job. If an indigenous coach cannot transform a small African team into a Brazil or an Italy like, this impossibility applies to a foreign coach as well. — Kizito Mwanga, Philadelphia, United States

Voice of the people

The purpose of democracy is for the elected government to hear and respond to the needs of the people. Any government that does not deliver on the people’s needs must be replaced with one that will listen and act.

And what is the voice of the people? The voice pleads: ”Please give me a job so that I don’t have to steal. I love my family, and if I don’t have a job, I will have to steal to support them.” Are those in power creating enough employment?

The voice continues to plead: ”I love my family, and they must have the best education and healthcare available; they must also live in a dry and solid house.” Is the elected government doing the best it can for the ones we love?

If we are happy, then that’s great. If not, do we have an alternative? — Michael K, Buffalo River Harbour

Eskom must cut costs

The government funds many activities in disadvantaged areas to fight poverty. Unfortunately, Eskom dooms these projects to fail by charging unreasonably high installation and service charges, which can be avoided by allowing small businesses and projects to use pre-paid electricity.

In deep rural areas like north-east Limpopo, the government is funding new activities such as small farms and peanut butter and soap manufacturers. To grow, they need electricity so that they can run machines.

Eskom charges about R17 000 to install electricity for businesses and about R400 for service a month.

This is too much for most projects. Most businesses make little profit; without electricity they cannot develop into sustainable businesses, and eventually have to close. — Kristina Reinders, Malavuwe, Limpopo

Arrogant ANC heckling

The arrogance of ANC MPs and provincial legislatures stinks to high heaven. They constantly heckle opposition MPs when they don’t like what they say. These hecklers don’t seem to irritate the Speaker, who doesn’t call them to order.

This practice has been copied from Western legislative bodies. At august African gatherings like makgotla, a person is given the chance to talk without being interrupted, even if the audience does not agree. This is supported by a Setswana expression that predates the Greek state, ”mmualebe o bua la gagwe” (even a bad speaker expresses his own views).

What really irritated me was the heckling of Gauteng PAC member Malesela Ledwaba while he was speaking on the 31st anniversary of the 1976 uprising in honour of former PAC president Uncle Zeph Mothopeng and the Bethal treason trialists. Some of the trialists were present, with students from several high schools.

One of the ANC members shouted: ”We’ve read Mothopeng’s biography!” I’m sure he was lying. If he had read the book, he should have had respect for that intrepid freedom fighter and shut his trap.

One of the trialists present was Johnson Vusi Nyathi, who was pushed from the fourth floor of the Special Branch offices in Krugersdorp and broke his legs. He survived and was charged with ”trying to escape from custody”.

When ANC members make light of the suffering of such heroes, it stinks in the nostrils of God. — Sam Ditshego, Kagiso

Factual errors in shark article

I agree with Yolandi Groenewald (”A shark’s tale”, June 15) on the overfishing problem and the steady decline in the numbers of many endangered species. Unfortunately there are factual errors in her article.

Groenewald simply accessed the IUCN Red List for Species website and cut and pasted common names into her article. Many species either have multiple common names or do not occur in Southern Africa.

For example, the grey nurse shark, sand tiger shark and spotted ragged tooth shark are all the same species from different geographical localities: ragged tooth shark is the commonly used name in South Africa; grey nurse shark in Australia; and sand tiger in the United States.

Similarly a coelacanth is called a gombessa in the Comores.

The Cape shark, spurdog and pike dogfish are all one species, Squalus acanthias. These names are American. In South Africa, this species it is known as the sharpnose spiny dogfish.

In the US, its populations have declined seriously, hence the Cites issues mentioned at the end of the article. In South Africa this species is rare; a problem confounded by its misidentification with its sister species. The IUCN website notes that ”there is only limited fishing pressure in Australia and South Africa”.

I suggest that environmental journalists check their facts and perhaps consult scientists before publishing. If Groenewald had done so, she would have reduced the number of critically endangered species on her list from 11 to four, and the endangered list would be reduced from 14 to five.

This does not change the fact that the numbers of endangered species in South Africa is too high for comfort. A collective effort by fishermen, scientists and journalists is urgently needed to ameliorate the situation. — Tony Booth, Grahamstown

Cartoon proves Mbeki’s point

Zapiro (June 22) confirms that I had unprecedented access to the president!

On a more serious note, one of the themes of my two chapters on Thabo Mbeki’s approach to HIV/Aids is that truth and caricature have traded places. Instead of rational deliberation, we have had a one-sided and moralistic ”debate”, unhealthily dominated by the vilification campaigns of the Treatment Action Campaign, of which Zapiro is a formal patron.

In his cartoon, Zapiro proves my point, as well as the point that the president made to me that ”the representatives of the colonial ‘mother’ will be waiting to do everything possible to discredit the book”. He held out the hope that ”such notoriety as it may gain because of the vituperative assessments … would encourage some people to want to find out for themselves why your book is an object of what will surely be the most negative criticism”.

Those genuinely interested in separating caricature from fact in the Aids debate are invited to go beyond Zapiro’s cartoons and Edwin Cameron’s cartoonish analysis by reading what I actually say in the book. — Ronald Suresh Roberts, Cape Town

I have only one comment on Zapiro’s thoroughly tasteless cartoon. The heading should have read: ”Intrepid Mail & Guardian reporter eavesdropping on Cabinet meeting.” — Sam van den Berg, Cape Town

Divergence

Bheki Khumalo says in the Polokwane Briefing (June 8) that Cuban troops ”assisted in the humiliation of the apartheid military machine at Cuito Cuanavale in Angola, a known turning-point in the freedoms we enjoy today”.

Yet Van Zyl Slabbert says in The Other Side of History that ”there was no decisive military outcome at Cuito Cuanavale; hostilities stopped because of a political stalemate. All parties — the Soviets, Cubans and South Africans — agreed to withdraw militarily, and that negotiations should determine the outcome.”

How can there be two such divergent views of an event only 20 years old? — Sandy Virtue, Blairgowrie

In brief

We loved Tom Eaton’s ”A fool and his guide aren’t easily parted” and look forward to more of the same! How about tackling Dr Phil and his bullying tactics? — M Frey, Cape Town

If President Thabo Mbeki could publicly brag that he used his ”despotic powers” to forbid future Cabinet meetings on days that South Africa is playing international sport, why can he not use his despotic powers to publish crime statistics monthly? — Peter Willis

‘Zuma’s plans for top job” (June 22) was a disgrace. If you get an interview with JZ or named sources, then you have a right to publish; anything else is tabloid journalism. And you are a tabloid, perhaps a pseudo-intellectual one, as you have repeatedly shown since the arrival of editor Ferial Haffa-jee. — Carl Werth, Waterkloof

In your editorial of June 22, you criticised Sepp Blatter for his double-speak on South Africa’s ability to host the World Soccer Cup. Try to get from OR Tambo International airport to Pretoria by public transport, and let’s discuss the issue again. — Johan Viljoen, Pretoria

With a quarter of the Zimbabwean population in South Africa, isn’t it time to take down the now irrelevant colonial borders and allow the balance of willing Zimbabweans to come through and settle? These people, deserving of proper citizenship and respect, will provide human capital sorely needed in South Africa. — Peter Auld, Sandton