The plea made by Peter Bruce, in "Would DA rather spar with Julius than work with Cyril?" (March 10), to support President Cyril Ramaphosa instead of the DA, reminds me of the then so-called enlightened Nationalist plea to the English-speaking voter in the old SA to support the National Party so that it could be reformed "internally".
This faction succeeded - though we all know that it was actually economic sanctions that eventually brought a bankrupt National Party leadership to the negotiation table.
And now, 30 years later, the white voter instead of the English-speaking voter is being exhorted by your columnist to repeat the exercise.
This is rather rich coming from one who supported the UDM in 1999!
Ramaphosa sat for nine years in parliament and supported Zuma on every occasion, including six votes of no confidence. He states that he was not really aware of what Zuma was about. Really?
Thank goodness that the likes of the Sunday Times and other brave publications brought all this corruption to the surface.
The only way to get back on the right path is to get rid the ANC. You need look no further than the DA-run Western Cape to see how our country should be!
To my mates who were hoodwinked 30 years ago, let me say, do not make the same mistake again!
- Ian Pringle, Port Elizabeth
BANK WILL GO THE WAY OF ALL SOEs
So, Peter Bruce would like us to think that nationalising the Reserve Bank is a mere technicality and it will still be independent of political interference. He goes on to say that the Bank will be subject to the same controls as any independent and reputable central bank in the world.
I have to disagree.
Why, with all the controls that are provided by legislation, internal and external auditors, audit committees and even parliamentary oversight, has the ANC succeeded in bringing almost every state-owned enterprise to its knees?
I think the Reserve Bank is similarly doomed. The governor will be summoned to ANC headquarters the day after nationalisation to be instructed on who to get rid of, which comrades to employ, which consultants to engage and so on and so forth until the wheels come off like they did at SAA, Eskom, Transnet and the rest.
Give anything that works to this government and they will break it.
- Rob Blake, Melkbosstrand
PARTY-STATE LINE LONG SINCE CROSSED
The report into the abuse of state resources in the intelligence world to fight political battles, "Zuma 'spooked' Cyril's campaign" (March 10), would make for a great blockbuster movie if it were not so tragic - and did not pose such a serious threat to state security.
The line between the state and the party has long been crossed in the battle for the soul of the ANC. The report alleges that former president Jacob Zuma and his supporters spied on those perceived to be against the Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma campaign in the run-up to the 2017 ANC elective conference. They did so using state resources.
For as long as politicians have full control of intelligence operatives, this trend will not stop. It did not start with Zuma and it will not end now he is gone.
President Ramaphosa must be careful not to use this report to go after perceived enemies within and outside the ANC.
The state security department should be used to protect the republic from internal and external threats, not for political and individual battles.
- Kiekie Mboweni, Nkowankowa, Limpopo
RUGBY'S SELECTIVE COLONIALSM
I managed to read the hilarious piece in BBK Unplugged, "Remnants of verkramptes and rooineks resisting change" (March 10), without falling off my recliner.
Obviously Bareng-Batho Kortjaas does not know that rugby originated in the colonial village of Rugby in England in 1823 and was introduced to SA by Canon George Ogilvie, headmaster of Diocesan College in Cape Town, in 1861.
As a recognised sport it took off in 1875, with the South African Rugby Board founded in 1889. The rooineks helped spread the game, and the verkramptes perfected it.
I find it ironic that, while all remnants of the colonial past have to be got rid of, BBK, politicians and other African activists are fighting tooth and nail to play a game with such a rich colonial background. Should Africans be playing rugby? Won't they be tainted with colonialism?
Black people are not "begging to be part of rugby", but are already playing this "rubbish" (as BBK puts it) in their thousands.
Don King of boxing fame commented: "Hypocrisy is the mother of all evil, and racial prejudice is still her favourite child."
Give it some thought, BBK!
- JR Whitlock, Germiston
THE ELEGANCE OF IMRAN TAHIR
Telford Vice, nice piece on that throw of Imran Tahir, "Tahir is what success looks like in SA cricket" (March 10). But what will remain in my mind is the magical googly he bowled. The meta googly. If I remember correctly, it was a one-day game against Pakistan in Dubai.
Every ball Tahir bowled was either off, straight or top spin. Except the very last one. It was a perfect googly. The batsman lifted his bat and did not play - only to stare in amazement as the ball gently jumped in and onto the wickets.
The elegance of it still makes me smile.
- Ferdi Greyling, Johannesburg..