June 8 to 14 2007

How can teachers not be essential?

I am a matric student currently attending Pretoria High School for Girls. I would like to voice my opinion on the recent strike action on behalf of the youth of South Africa. I hope that Minister of Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi is a subscriber of your newspaper so that she too can know how we, the learners, feel.

I find it very interesting that police officers, doctors and nurses are recognised as ”essential” workers and teachers are not. I always ask myself whether the government considers the fact that teachers are the foundation of this society, not just in South Africa but in the world at large. Where would Cabinet ministers, mayors, premiers and the president himself be without their grade one to 12 educators? Does anyone stop to think about that?

How can teachers not be considered essential? Matric students are sitting at home now because they have no one to teach them. What is to become of the future generation? We as young adults are even sceptical of having our own children because we are not sure where the future of education in South Africa is headed. Who will teach our children?

Very few people today want to go into teaching. The passion and drive to do so exist, but one has to think about living conditions. How can a person be expected to survive with a housing allowance of approximately R500? Nowadays you can’t even rent a one-bedroom apartment with that money.

I really think that the teachers are not asking a lot from the government. All they want is to live a comfortable life without the chronic headache caused by financial difficulty. — Shandu Mulaudzi, Pretoria

I would like to express my disappointment at the government and the manner in which it is handling the public-service personnel. My disappointment goes specifically to the not-so-honourable Minister of Public Service and Administration, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi and the stance that she has taken of refusing to give public-service personnel what is rightfully theirs but instead presenting an arrogant and bullying attitude.

After the presentation of the national budget by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, it was clear that the country was doing well and the government could afford to give public-service personnel at least a 9% increase. Earlier this year, President Thabo Mbeki cited a challenge of money being returned from the state departments without being used for what it is intended.

Furthermore, the Moseneke commission has recommended an increment of between 15% and 57% for the so-called higher-skilled management of the country, which includes politicians. My question is: Where on earth is the big job being done? Is it in the ground work done by people who struggle to raise a mere R1 000 a month to feed a family of five, or in the flashy offices where people take home a combined income of R1,5-million after a game of golf and a few tots of whisky? I wish the minister can understand the position of the workers and how high the cost of living has gone.

Instead of giving the ordinary workers what they rightfully deserve, the minister and her ignorant colleagues threaten and intimidate the poor workers. I was also disappointed by the minister on Sunday June 10 when she said that workers must stop being selfish.

My sincere sympathy goes to the sick, pupils, immigrants and many others who have to get some kind of service from the indifferent government; it is not the workers’ fault, but just a request from them to clear out the ignorance and ruthlessness of the fat cats up there. How is South Africa expected to be a leading country when the government does not motivate its employees? — Moabelo Kau, Mabopane, Tshwane

As a healthcare worker, I am committed to the rights of patients to receive medical attention, but it filled me with dismay to see South Africans being stun-grenaded, baton-charged, tear-gassed and water-cannoned by police representing the interests of a government voted into power by the very people they are now abusing. The scenes were reminiscent of the anti-apartheid struggle, except that the lines between oppressed and oppressor are now blurred.

What was more sickening was to switch on the evening news and to see comrades Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Trevor Manuel and Manto Tshabalala-Msimang (all of whom have received up to 50% increases in packages in this financial year) try to justify an insulting 6% to the workers on whose backs the revolution for democracy was won. Even more upsetting was the bleating about patient’s rights by comrade Trevor, while sharing the stage with a mampara who until recently denied rights to thousands of pregnant mothers to receive nevirapine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

We, the electorate, will not forget the callousness with which our mothers and fathers in the civil service have been treated by comrade Thabo Mbeki’s government (we can’t really claim as our own a government that turns its armed forces against its people involved in legitimate peaceful protest). We should now focus on asking our African National Congress movement to start to agitate for the immediate resignation of the comrade MPs for public service, health, finance — and the comrade state president — for their incompetent handling of this very important national strike. Let us rather deploy in our leadership people who want to build the nation together with our workers, and not simply enrich themselves and their friends. — Michael J Naidoo, Grahamstown

It’s an absolute joke how the unions can give you this ”bull” about fighting for democracy and then encourage their members to assault and kill the members who do not wish to strike! — JL Strydom, George Industria

Give teachers their due

As a matric student at Pinelands High School, I believe the input of our teachers is vital. They guide us through our education, and are also role models and mentors.

I don’t accuse them of hampering my education by going on strike. I fully support public workers in their endeavours to be heard and not taken for granted.

Teachers, especially, deserve a quality of life far above what they have now. All the teachers I know of are dedicated, and many are highly qualified. And many teachers are far worse off than those at my school.

The salaries do not acknowledge their level of tertiary education and the extra effort and extra-mural involvement they contribute. The benefits they receive, such as the housing subsidy, seem hopelessly inadequate compared with house prices in the Cape, and they need to be upgraded.

I appeal to the education and public service ministers to uplift their position. Come to an agreement that ensures we have quality teachers, both tomorrow and in 10 years’ time. — Amy Buttle

Journalists are suggesting that most public servants don’t deserve a raise because of the shoddy service they provide. As a doctor in the public service, I find this hurtful.

I admit the care provided in public health institutions is unacceptable, but that is not the fault of staff. Many forget that we are leading the fight against Aids, with patient numbers at an all-time high.

Hospital budgets, salaries and resources have not increased accordingly. Nurse-to-patient ratios are unforgivable. Salaries and working conditions in the private sector lure quality staff away. Career pathing and progression do not exist in the public sector.

The strike has compromised patient care, but so do resource-starved hospitals and exhausted health workers. It is illegal for essential services to participate, but what other avenue has government provided for us to air our grievances?

We went on strike not just for better salaries, but also for recognition from government that they must meaningfully support our efforts. — Landuleni Benjamin, Bara Hospital

Where have all the leaders gone? For striking workers to invade a hospital and club nurses out of intensive care is a failure of union leadership.

For a government to vote itself massive increases at a time when wage restraint is called for is political leadership out of touch.

Is this the society so many people fought, endured torture and died for? I remember going to Baragwanath hospital in the 1980s, and being advised that security was no problem despite the upheavals in Soweto: the hospital was off-limits for violence.

Now we have undisciplined protest, and incidents where doctors and others providing essential services are victims of violent crime.

The German saying applies: a fish rots from the head down. If the government does not want society to demand gratification which South Africa cannot afford, the political leadership should get off the gravy train. — Philip Machanick

Until a few days ago I thought the 12% demand was high, but then I was brought back to earth by an angry lady teacher who told a radio programme: ”I must be satisfied with monthly take-home pay of R7 000, when my taxes help pay MPs convicted in the Travelgate fraud, who continue to sit in Parliament on salaries of over R50 000 a month, plus numerous perks.” — Frank Hartry, Kingsburgh

Only peace will prevail in Middle East

The military approach (in the Middle East and in the world) can never be productive in the long term. The endemic cycle of violence only serves to feed hatreds that are already too fierce. You can’t use bullets and rockets to solve what is essentially a social and political problem. The solution, which I’m sure all reasonable world leaders will agree on, is peace … and this will never come from the barrel of a gun.

The political process can and needs desperately to change. World leaders need to address and resolve the root causes of this long-standing conflict. They need new horizons, and the critical issue is having the political will to reduce violence on both sides. More freedom of movement will reduce poverty. The disappearance of hope, the poverty and the terrible living conditions caused by the internal Palestinian power struggle form fertile ground for chaos in this region, a ”hotbed of intolerance, violence and religious fanaticism”.

As in South Africa, changing these conditions and reducing the climate of fear on all sides in turn will give rise to a new dawn of security and stability … hope for everyone, people and nations. — Craig Lock, Gisborne, New Zealand

Not so green?

I briefly glanced through the special ecology section in the current issue of the Mail & Guardian. I was quite pleased to see that some of the big companies are taking serious steps to ensure green practices. First National Bank (FNB) came to forefront and has even gone so far as to appoint personnel especially for this task.

However, if you are a daily user of FNB’s new internet banking system, you would severely disagree . No green points when it comes to this — you have to wait three times longer for anything to make sense every time you log in; one person uses three times more paper than ever before to generate reports (they only appear 15 transactions at a time per page); and because of this you use three times more electricity.

Do the eco-bucks spent by FNB just add up to a mere echo in their eco labyrinth, reverberating only through the publicity trumpet? It seems to me that although FNB is trying to help me and the planet, in fact it is just helping itself. — Grant Frewen

Doubt is flip side of belief

In the debate between atheists and those who are ”comfortable with faith”, both sides refuse to understand the other’s point of view.

Any Christian will acknowledge that doubt is the flip side of belief; questioning and challenge happen all the time within the tradition. Christians are not, as Gordon Wells suggests (Letters, June 1), necessarily fearful of atheists’ broadsides; they’re used to it. Some Christians abandon their faith. But countless others have worked through doubt to find their faith central to a fulfilled life.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s faith, which sustained him through opposition to Nazism, or the sustaining force of Desmond Tutu’s faith in opposing apartheid, have become important reasons why they want to explore the possibilities of the Christian life.

Christians cannot be lumped together as a bunch of reactionaries. Many work through their faith on a daily basis, and do not shy away from vigorous debate.

Author Leslie Stevenson expresses it well: ”[Many Christians] accept the basic theory [of Christianity] despite its difficulties, because of what they find in the life and worship of the Church: a certain growth in the inner or ‘spiritual’ life which they do not find elsewhere. There can be no complete assessment of Christianity unless this is considered.” — Peter Hyslop, Cape Town

Richard Dawkins et al see religion as a form of original sin — something uniquely evil, which has remained essentially unchanged since the beginning of time. In fact, religions change fundamentally; the God of the Old Testament, of the early Christians and of modern evangelicals are very different creatures.

Theology can be seen as the systematic subversion of the original intent of religious texts, often by injecting modern ideas. The homophobic bigotry (or genocidal ambitions) of biblical authors is often ignored by modern theologians.

Also, other social movements based on false claims, such as nationalism and Marxism, have as much power for evil.

When we deal with such movements in a political context, the best approach is one of ”constructive engagement”, recognising that any movement contains individuals with different agendas. We try to work with moderates towards mutually beneficial goals, while excluding the radicals.

Dawkins is surely wrong to argue that religious moderates ”give respectability” to radicals and should be vigorously opposed. — Dean Peters, University of Cape Town

With every new phase in human enlightenment, God’s face changes. From the manic murderer of ancient Jewish mythology, he has evolved into the gentle humanist who loves his creatures.

Alas, the modern humanist God remains ethically retarded. The world he created depends for its continued existence on the destruction of one creature by another in conditions of extreme suffering.

No modern human would have devised such a scheme. The God who did has lost his right to exist. — Oliver Price

A few years ago it was normal for a fellow aircraft passenger to blow smoke in your face. Similarly, while it is acceptable now for believers to have a serious argument about their faith, in a few years it will no longer be. — S Kaye, Cape Town

I’d be pissed off, too!

I’m sorry John Matshikiza is taking a sabbatical after readers complained about his Cyrildene articles.

As usual, he poked at a complex issue that few have dared to touch.

Matshikiza has become an institution. He is well-travelled and broadminded. He reflects on complex issues with credibility. He is urbane and witty and although he is no saint, I’ve never had the impression that he wields his pen as a weapon.

To be accused of bigotry or inciting bigotry would have been a grievous insult, given his personal and writing history; I’d be pissed off too. — Hennie Lombard, Cape Town

Matshikiza is right: he entirely misunderstands the widespread annoyance at his recent articles.

No one says he should not point out and protest against racism. The question is rather how to respond to racism from communities that have themselves faced discrimination. Matshikiza’s use of racial stereotypes and ad hominem attacks will not help find a worthwhile response.

It seems an author in your paper can endlessly respond to critics as well as disagreeing openly with the ombud. Why have an ombud if he can’t have the last word? — Neva Makgetla.

Adult readership should understand that controversial writing comes with a price. Matshikiza’s columns may irritate, but they make you think. Isn’t that a job well done? — Darryn, Wynberg, Cape Town

I’m a white South African woman who has always felt isolated from the white and black communities.

Matshikiza’s commentary makes me feel that I belong somewhere, that there is someone out there whose thoughts I can follow, who can explain things to me in a language that makes sense. — Louise Schmidt, Gauteng

Please don’t be too harsh on Matshikiza — racism is racism.

The owner of the Chinese massage parlour owes him an apology, if not a pamper session on the house. — Muriel Hau-Yoon, Cape Town

Morning people

I loved the piece by Rebecca Hardy (”It’s genes that count”, June 1). There truly is a tyranny of early risers that derives from some antiquated Calvinist or other fundamentalist faith.

Once a week at the university we are expected to teach a class at 7.45am — the ”dawnie”. Who ever thought that concentrated intellectual activity could be productively executed at this god-awful hour?

I offer the following poem:

Morning People

I hate the morning people,

each and every one of them.

Self-righteous little pricks

smug as they shed their sheets.

All these awful morning people

who seem to think the sunrise

is occasion to become active

rather than to luxuriate in bed.

They sally forth each day

and pollute the peace

with their miserable and useless activities.

They make a mockery of life.

Come the day when

we are all disintegrated in a blaze of white light

there will be a twinkle in my eye

as I think about

these morning people.

— Doug Downie, Grahamstown

Squawk (2)

In last week’s editorial, to justify a plea for political players to moderate their mudslinging, the M&G mentions my ”sqawks” that a ”poisonous spider had been deliberately let loose” in my home.

The creepy-crawly was a scorpion — as in the swashbuckling unit which leaks information to destroy people they cannot prosecute.

And you fail to mention that the incident happened four years ago during the Hefer Commission — so it does not really support your argument about the current climate.

How, except by squawking, is one supposed to react on discovering a poisonous creature next to the coffee canister? — Ranjeni Munusamy, Sandton

In brief

In terms of law being advanced by Parliament, spanking children is to become a chargeable offence. I have seen many parents crying hysterically because they do not know what to do with their brats. And many black families cannot afford psychologists and drugs to regulate unruly kids. Many of us who abhor child abuse still believe a light spanking gets the job done. — Phillimon Mnisi, Wits University

Seeing the doyenne of estate agents, Pam Golding, photographed in such dubious company in the M&G‘s last issue speaks volumes about her industry. — Anwyn Hammond

As associate director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, David Saks should congratulate himself that there are South African Jews of Ronnie Kasrils’s integrity. They hark back to Maimonides and the very best traditions of Jewish humanism. — A Sousa-Poza, Phalaborwa

Reg Rumney (June 1) goes on and on about inexcusable innumeracy of the Commission for Employment Equity. He should have correctly calculated the figures himself. Instead, he proudly says that going from 1% to 2% is a 50% increase. This is obviously wrong. — Kganki Matabane, Sandton

Funny how the percentage of white South Africans who complain about affirmative action being ”discriminatory and racist” is inversely proportional to the percentage of white South Africans who complained about apartheid being ”discriminatory and racist”. — Dave Martin

Last night I saw Simphiwe Dana perform at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. As I walked into the cold northern night I thought of the Southern Cross; of all the talent we have at home; of all that makes our land beautiful. Mzansi iskhathi sethu sesifikile! — Mthoko Madonda