No deal for Zuma!
In advocating a political settlement to get Jacob Zuma off the hook (August 22), Moe Shaik recycles the lie that President Thabo Mbeki is the chief conspirator in blocking Zuma from becoming president of the country. But Zuma’s case is purely criminal. Instead of addressing the issues in Zuma’s indictment, Shaik attacks the judiciary, the NPA and Mbeki.
In Parliament Zuma denied having had a meeting with Shaik and Thint’s Alain Thetard. Why then is he trying to prevent the NPA getting Thetard’s diary? The NPA wanted to investigate off-shore accounts, but Zuma objected. Why?
In the trial of Schabir Shaik, it was revealed that Nelson Mandela, then ANC president, warned Mbeki, Zuma and Arnold Stofile about Schabir Shaik’s intentions. Why did Zuma fail to heed Mandela’s advice?
Zuma received about R4-million from Nkobi Holdings. He never declared this income to either the South African Revenue Service or Parliament. Is this also a political conspiracy?
South Africa is not a banana republic, so a culture of impunity must be defeated. Zuma must have his day in court. If Moe Shaik and his gang believe Zuma is a victim of political conspiracy, they must be friends of the court and provide evidence of conspiracy. Zuma has failed dismally to provide such evidence; instead, his camp just insults the judges. — Mlamuli Ngcongo, Margate
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Richard Calland (August 22)rejects and despises those who would like to see Zuma excused from further court hearings. Is he trying to say that the history of other countries’ presidents who were declared immune from Âcriminal probes cannot be repeated in the case of our own potential future state president? Why? Because he is black, I suppose.
Ideally, nobody should be above the law. But there is an overÂwhelming view that Zuma has been subjected to politically calculated delaying tactics, and that this Âborders on infringing his rights as a human being.
Does Calland really imagine the leader of an internationally respected movement like the ANC going to prison in a post-apartheid South Africa? Such a development could be interpreted as yet another exhibition of total disrespect for the achievements of those who fought against apartheid.
Pursuing this in court does not serve the political interests of the majority of the members of the Âruling party or the majority of South Africans.
It is presumptuous and downright disrespectful of Calland to lampoon those who do not agree with the anti-Zuma school of thought as ”political hooligans”. What cheek! — Simphiwe Mkhize, Pietermaritzburg
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I score the ”deal/no deal” debate 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 to Richard Calland. Moe Shaik cannot hold his serve because he strays into the tramlines of irrelevancy and the wrong box called sophistry. His double-fault tally is embarrassing. Why his brother Schabir should languish in jail/hospital for 15 years for corrupting Zuma, to the satisfaction ”beyond a reasonable doubt” of all three top tiers of the courts, while Zuma roams our bleak political landscape is a mystery Moe Shaik does not address.
If equality before the law means anything, it means Zuma should have that day in court he so desires. The nation needs to know. The harm a ”deal” will do to our international reputation and our ability to raise foreign capital needs to be considered.
The unanswered questions Andrew Feinstein raises concerning the arms deal will fester until properly aired, as Zuma has threatened to do, by, inter alia, calling Thabo Mbeki to give evidence at his trial.
What the ANC needs to consider most anxiously is that there are no prosperous countries anywhere in which the rule of law is bent or discarded at will. Without it, a Zimbodian future beckons. Is that really the goal of the national democratic revolution? — Elise Burns, Noordhoek
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Realising that Jacob Zuma might finally be called to answer to the allegations of corruption, Zuma supporters — through Moe Shaik — suggest that Zuma be offered an amnesty or indemnity from prosecution. That is why the first meeting of the ANC’s National Execution Committee (NEC) formed a committee to look into the arms deal. In essence, a Zuma-controlled NEC wanted anything that could implicate President Thabo Mbeki, so that when the NEC suggests amnesty Mbeki as president of the country has to agree.
The entire nation must publicly reject Shaik’s suggestion, for the following reasons:
Firstly, a young democracy like ours must be protected from abuse by powerful individuals in the ruling party.
Secondly, why immunity for one individual?
Thirdly, Zuma has had ample time to respond to these allegations but chose a ”fight-back strategy” to suppress investigations into his relationship with Schabir Shaik and Thint.
Fourthly, Zuma has been mobilising his supporters to undermine law-enforcement agencies and the judiciary, which has a negative impact on the rule of law.
Lastly, will Zuma apologise to the many people his fans have demonised, especially Thabo Mbeki, Bulelani Ngcuka, Vusi Pikoli, Mokotedi Mpshe, Judges Hilary Squires and Pius Langa, and many who have been ridiculed by his sympathisers in Cosatu, the SACP, the youth league and in the media? — Thabiso Lupuwana, Kokstad
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How can a person, as president, be allowed access to billions in the country’s coffers if he was corrupt before becoming president? Jacob Zuma appears to be a very popular person and I, for one, think he would make an excellent people’s president — but he must clear his name of corruption in court before this happens. — Alwin Thompson, Glenhills
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What about a compromise? Let Zuma have his day in court, but with a ”sentencing amnesty”. The judge may declare: ”Mr Zuma, I find you innocent — you are free to go [and be president]”, or ”Mr Zuma, I find you guilty — you are free to go [and be president].”
The advantages would be: Zuma gets his day in court; any political conspiracy to prevent him assuming high office is nullified; and the judge(s) can make decisions based on the evidence without external pressures.
If found not guilty, we can get on with building the nation. If found guilty, Zuma and his associates can decide if he is to be president.
If he decides not to be president, Julius Malema doesn’t have to kill anybody. If he decides to be president, Mr and Mrs Magill can make decisions about their future.– Brendan Magill, Durban
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I offer a simple solution: Zuma withdraws from politics to clear his name. He states that he is innocent but places his faith in South African justice. He instructs his legal team to abandon stalling tactics and press for an early trial date. Such actions would place him head-and-shoulders above ethical pygmies, rabble-rousers and place-seekers that currently populate our public life. — George Niven, Hilton
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Motlanthe gives the nation hope
ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe doesn’t speak the Jacob Zuma camp lingo. I have never heard Motlanthe calling people names or hurling insults at our judges and media. Does the ruling party deputy leader really belong to the Zuma-mad group or is he there by mistake? If I didn’t know I would say he’s with the Thabo Mbeki clique.
Motlanthe is very diplomatic, calm and sober-minded. He thinks before he opens his mouth. But, most importantly, he is honest and consistent. If I had my way I would make him the country’s presidential candidate for the forthcoming elections. I just hope that he will be part of the Cabinet after next year’s elections.
Thus far Motlanthe is the only one of the new ANC leadership who has offered principled leadership when we needed it the most. He is the only one who risked being unpopular with the so-called kingmakers and had the courage to publicly speak against Julius Malema’s ”kill for Zuma” statement.
He has also reassured the nation that the ruling party respects the independence of the judiciary. What a relief! He said this after Zuma followers hurled insults at judges, calling them counter-revolutionaries for not making the ruling they wanted. Motlanthe said the statements were probably made out of ignorance.
The Zuma camp is full of populists competing to make headlines for all the wrong reasons, who later blame the media for misquoting them. The ANC Youth League’s Malema, Cosatu’s Zwelinzima Vavi and the SACP’s Blade Nzimande lead the pack.
It doesn’t seem to matter to them if their statements have a negative impact on the image and economy of the country. And these are people who aspire to be Cabinet ministers. Whose interest is this lot serving? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out.
By contrast, Motlanthe is a breath of fresh air. His presence in the new ANC leadership gives the nation hope that things are not as bad as we think. — Thabile Mange
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Venomous tirade
Your venomous tirade against advocate Menzi Simelane (”DG ‘spied on Pikoli”’, August 15) relies on a cocktail of untested allegations by faceless sources. It appears that peddlers of gossip have found in the M&G an eager vehicle to pass on muck under the guise of ”investigative journalism”.
None of the issues raised in the M&G were mentioned at the Ginwala inquiry. Why not?
As to your allegations of spying, if anyone is spying it is the M&G on advocate Simelane. The M&G is so unethical it finds time and resources to spy on what he does in his private time.
In an effort to support the non-existent ”analysis that has wide currency in the government and Parliament” about Minister Brigitte Mabandla and tensions with her deputy, your reporters unthinkingly repeat claims made in other media. There is no such ”analysis” in these institutions. The only ”currency” it has is within the M&G‘s ”Ministers’ Scorecard”, compiled by the self-same reporters.
You insinuate Dr Khotso de Wee was sent to the NPA to spy on Simelane’s behalf. De Wee moved to the NPA as acting CEO at the request of the NPA, not Simelane’s. Of course that is not the kind of information that would have enhanced your personal tirade against advocate Simelane. — Zolile Nqayi, ministry of justice and constitutional development
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It’s our anthem
I was surprised and angry to see your ignorant and arrogant comments on Zambia’s national anthem, as heard at the Olympics: ”—and dull hymns such as Zambia’s and Malaysia’s” (”And the winning anthem is —”, August 15).
Zambia’s anthem is the well-known Southern African hymn God Bless Africa — Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrica. Several Southern African countries use this as their anthem. It was composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, and is associated with the suffering and oppression of Africans. It is their hymn.
It is the anthem of my country, South Africa, and that’s why I feel hurt. Furthermore, I know and love Zambia, which makes it even worse. — Monica Matthewson
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In brief
Your editorial ”Morgan Tsvangirai is right to say no” (August 22) should be applauded in its support of the democratic process in Zimbabwe and urging Tsvangirai to ”hang tough”. The criticism of President Thabo Mbeki and SADC, however, was not hard-hitting enough. The conference in Johannesburg was the ideal opportunity to stand up to Zanu-PF theft and thuggery, yet all we heard were platitudes from a president who seems hell-bent on saving the illegal Harare regime. If apartheid South Africa in the 1970s could put pressure on Ian Smith, surely Mbeki can do the same to Mugabe? — RP Frame
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Speaking with the blithe indifference that characterises his party, Zanu-PF’s George Charamba says that ”the condition of the Zimbabwean black will remain the same for years” (August 22). Does that include him? — Peter Roebuck
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So we didn’t do well at the Olympics. Will we do any better at the 2012 games? I doubt it. Sporting excellence starts at school. Half an hour of physical education every second week in a sandy place called a field is just not enough. —Mark Potterton, Catholic Institute of Education
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Perhaps his enemies will not agree, but let me wish Mangosuthu Buthelezi a great day after 80 years alive. Happy birthday, Tatu Buthelezi! — Thabani Dladla, Napierville
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I have been reading your newspaper online for years, and I would like to say how much I like your new format. Usually, when my regular sites change their layout, it elicits a large groan from me, as they inevitably disable some feature (in the name of ”progress”) that I can’t do without.
However, you and your team have done a fantastic job of organising and displaying the content in a very reader-friendly way, as well as adding all the little extras that one has come to expect from other news sites (people in the news, links to the various feed and tagging sites, etc., etc.). Not to mention that the scope of your coverage is extremely wide-ranging and the quality is excellent.
So I confidently expect to be reading the M&G for years to come – with great pleasure!–Margaret-Anne Halse