Ramphele's fanciful idealism

Like all self-publicists, Mamphela Ramphele, in the excerpt from her book ("Speaking truth to power, from World Bank to Mbeki", November 8), displays the "I'm not like the others" condition of delusion. If the World Bank was so toxic, why did it take her so long to get out, while taking its money all the while? She could have resigned at any time.

Maybe we are not supposed to ask. But one should scrutinise her claims in the light of her "for an idealist, like me" formulation. The conceit is obvious. A person cannot make conclusions like that about himself or herself. Is this the person who was so conceited, she expected the Democratic Alliance to disband as a precursor to her easy access to political power?

Also, her claim to be a "street fighter" using her "intellectual prowess" to deal with confrontation is an obvious contradiction. Street fighters scorn intellectuals.

I'm sceptical, too, of her claim about coming home to Africa in 2004 "to retire" and leaving her euphemistically described "modest accommodation" in the United States.

Her appointments belie this, as do her overt political ambitions, despite the claim at the end of the excerpt that she would "set the tone" from "the sidelines". Obviously, the sidelines have become wider and more blurred.

Similarly, which countries (in Africa) have "good governance and development" benefiting the poorest? She thinks "Zimbabwe was still working"! It's a great advert for land reform.

Her claim to have broken her back is incorrect. Having a bad back is common in those whose posture is not good. It has nothing to do with the World Bank. Silly me, I thought first-class airline seats were adjustable.

At least Ramphele chose the correct name for her movement of ­acolytes. "Agang" means hope, I'm told. This is the staple diet of Africa: for some countries, hope is still just hope after 50 years. – "New Citizen"