Readers' Views: Africa's sickness: yes-men who prop up inept leaders

It is shocking how money was wasted building Nkandla for one man and his privileged family, "State paid for homes of Zuma's family" (March 23).

I am surprised that President Jacob Zuma still has people who feel they cannot dump him as a leader when he has clearly failed to show good leadership skills.

All he has done since he came to power was look out for No 1.

We, as Africans, will be known as failures if we continue to defend such leaders.

I am surprised that nothing is said about the number of houses that were built there. I believe that the government's duty was to build one secure house for him, and the rest should have been his responsibility because he decided to have more than one wife.

The problem with our African leaders is that they surround themselves with yes-men. This is dangerous for our continent. We need people who will not be afraid to speak the truth to leadership.

We also have a problem with the politics of the stomach. People will not speak because they are afraid they will lose their spot next to the king or president, and thus have to go out and look for a job instead of enjoying the benefits of the gravy train.

I wonder what history will say about those of us who have allowed this rot to reign in our countries? - Disgruntled African, by e-mail

Clinging to the devil they know

THE pity of it, Pierre de Vos, "No simple task to hold executive to the constitution" (March 23), is that although the voters have a second mechanism to hold the president and his executive to account, they have very little knowledge of the complicated workings of the constitution, public protector, National Assembly and so forth.

This is because nobody cares to educate them on these very important issues, and most of the time they are spoken to in condescending ways and given a superficial explanation or reports like that of the public protector. And so they will continue supporting the devil they love and know. They will not leave it, as Sisonke Msimang says in "Requiem for a dream: falling in, and out, of love with ANC" (March 23). - Ntombi X, by e-mail

Worth her weight in gold

IF I were not married already to an equally strong, intelligent, no-nonsense, pillar-of-justice-defending beacon of a post-apartheid South African black woman from Ulundi, I would propose to Thuli Madonsela instead.

So much guts. So much wisdom. So much loneliness and fear after doing a proper job, as required by everyone who is paid with taxpayers' money.

I want to hug you, Thuli. Thank you for what you did and for the way you conducted yourself. I salute you for your bravery.

African women in general and South African women in particular are, in my books, the key to the success of this nation and continent.

Our public protector has shown the world what South African gold is all about and what it is worth. - Dr S Gerke, Emlalazi

Walk away with dignity

"I FEARED for my life" (March 23) refers. I agree it is better for the president to resign - not because he did something wrong, but because it is the right thing to do. The choice is his, though, to walk away with dignity or stay and let people blame him for everything that was not done right on those "security upgrades". There is no way he had no clue what was going on. He could have put a stop to it and prevented the damage that security upgrades have done to his name. If he had done that, I would have much respect for him. - Mbali, Johannesburg

Poll result is pie in the sky

THERE is something in the drinking water. The result of your poll, "Two-thirds ANC majority on cards" (March 23), reflecting a nearly two-thirds majority for the ANC in the upcoming general election is surely pie in the sky.

In view of all that has taken place politically in the past two weeks, this outcome cannot be true. Were it so, we would not only all be going down the road of self-destruction, but the Zimbabwe option would be a reality for our country. - Ian Pringle, Port Elizabeth

A walk down memory lane

IT is good to see the Sunday Times looking back at South African beauty competitions over the years, "Keeping 'natural beauty' relevant" (March 23). We were already making waves in 1953.

I was the first forces' favourite and won a few other competitions as well. - Former beauty queen, Sandton

Still lovely after all these years

WHAT about the oldest living Miss South Africa, Ingrid Mills of 1953. She is still so lovely, very active and so creative. You can find her at the farmers' market in Shongweni every Saturday morning selling her beautiful handmade beads. She is a remarkable woman. - Shirley de Haan, by SMS

First honour past greats

"HOWA-zat! Newlands in political naming row" (March 23) refers.

We all know the records of the great Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis, but few of the present generation know the past greats. Let us first honour the likes of Hassan Howa and Basil D'Oliveira and then our more recent heroes. Why not have a heroes' stand. We might have to compromise and have engraved plaques placed for all to see.

You can then choose to name it after your hero but be reminded of the "forgotten". - Ayesha Ranchod, Lenasia

Bun fight boo-boo

YOUR burger challenge, "Settling the big bun fight" (March 23), made for interesting reading. Even though I am in agreement with the number one spot, comparing a R48 burger (most expensive) with a R23 burger (least expensive) makes absolutely no sense and leads to a rather predicable outcome.

Whoever decided on the Big Mac as the most equivalent to all the premium offerings of the rest of the burger outlets does not know much about burgers at all. McDonald's was given a raw deal because its equivalent burger should have been the Double Quarter-Pounder De Luxe.

I am not saying this would have affected the outcome, but, in all fairness, I think that it isappropriate to get your panel to compare apples with apples in future. It is a rather obvious boo-boo to any self-respecting burger fan. - Zack Deedat, by e-mail

Not worthy of attention

"TOP court rules private security must do their job" (March 23) refers. Security guards generally earn R3000 a month. Last weekend, a guard in Gauteng died after being stabbed in the heart while on duty. I bet there will be no headlines or court case about him. He is too poor to warrant attention, like most women who die daily at the hands of their "intimate partners". - Carol, Eastern Cape

Taking aim at Cosatu

IT is fitting that worker leadership such as Jay Naidoo weigh in on the shenanigans in the glorious giant that is Cosatu, "Looking back in anger at how Cosatu trashed its high ideals" (March 23). Naidoo should know and his word must be taken seriously. - Cassey, by SMS

What about white Africans?

WITH reference to "Dearth of doctoral students" (March 23), I draw your attention to the last sentence and inquire: Were all 817 whites who graduated nationally in 2012 foreigners? Do these whites not have a nationality? Would you not categorise a fourth-generation white born in South Africa as an African? - White African, by e-mail

Don't pick on the pope

KIN Bentley, Letters (March 23), is dredging history to knock the Catholic Church. Galileo's incarceration, although inexcusable in modern terms when we have scientific certainty about so many things, was typical of an age of ignorance, superstition and cruelty. Bentley calls for the pope to ask forgiveness. But does he similarly expect other leaders to ask forgiveness for colonialism, slavery and war committed through the ages?

Bentley is stretching it to link priests abusing children to celibacy. Men enter the priesthood with the clear knowledge that celibacy is required. Any deviant behaviour is within their individual makeup, as illustrated by sex abuse throughout lay society.

Last, women do have leadership roles in church structures, except where it pertains to ordination. Can Bentley and other critics mention one orthodox religion that allows women ordination?

The Catholic Church, for all its faults, is a massive agent for good across all sectors of society in the world today. People like Bentley always seem to forget this. - Thomas Johnson, Lansdowne