Sisulu might be a better bet than our five men presidents

It has been 27 years and three months since the advent of democracy in SA. In this period there have been five men presidents (Kgalema Motlanthe included) and none have managed to bring economic freedom to the previously oppressed masses of this country.

Two suitable women leaders have unsuccessfully tried to convince members of the ANC to vote for them to be president of the ruling party and, by extension, the country. This is so because we have a parliamentary system which guarantees the leader of the majority party power.

In spite of the results of the recent local government elections, the ruling party will win the majority vote in the next national elections.

The failure of five men presidents to bring about economic freedom and equality necessitates the need to now vote for a strong, suitably qualified woman leader to be president.

Lindiwe Sisulu has over the years demonstrated that she’s a fearless, determined leader. Despite what the biased and chauvinist media says about her, she has covered herself with glory in all the departments she has worked in. For example, she uncovered a lot of rot at human settlements and fired those people responsible for it. Now that she has spoken what everyone knows and sees but fears to say, she is unfairly castigated by this media and some mentally inferior leaders of different structures, including her own party.

Continuing with the current leaders will certainly not bring about any economic comfort for the marginalised.

Sisulu has not expressed a desire to be president but helping her to ascend to power will bring about the necessary improvement of people’s lives. I say phambili (forward), sisi Lindiwe; even a blind person can see you rubbed shoulders with Steve Biko, Oliver Tambo and your parents, among others.

Mfezeko Bunu, Khayelitsha

Expose Sisulu’s sense of entitlement

The damage that has been wrought on this country by its so-called liberators becomes clear when viewed through your lead article on January 16.

I find it strange that Sunday Times journalists seek to compare the Sisulu saga to the one that led to Thabo Mbeki’s defeat, because the two events have very few similarities.

Sisulu has shown throughout her career how inept she is; every department she has ever been a minister of quickly becomes a shambles.

In addition, she has no power base within her party and that is why she appointed Bathabile Dlamini as chair of the housing board when she was human settlements minister. This was an attempt to garner the support of the ANC Women’s League.

I feel the thrust of the article should have centred on her feeling of entitlement because she’s a Sisulu, together with the fact that her organisation has a penchant for electing corrupt and useless people to positions of authority.

Ntsikana Tuntulwana, Newlands

Who needs Mutambara’s advice?

The support for Sisulu’s attack on our constitution and judiciary, “The constitution is not sacred and judges are not demigods” (January 16), by Arthur Mutambara, former deputy prime minister of — wait for it — Zimbabwe, says it all.

Ye gods, advice from Zimbabwe! Is that the road we want to follow? Has it really come to that?

L Steinhardt, Port Alfred

Chigumadzi’s whining is tiresome

For the Sunday Times to publish a racially offensive article and then, when it gets the reaction it deserves, to say: “Oooh! Aren’t we so fragile!” is an abysmally cheap shot.

Sue de Groot might usefully have taken some time to summarise the many reactions she received; instead she jeers and presents another “academic” study in support of her argument. There is nothing but offence to be gained by presenting one argument and “cancelling” the other.

If Panashe Chigumadzi’s article is representative of the Harvard school of African studies, it tells us only that affirmative action is alive and well at Harvard. It is tripe. And if it amuses De Groot to learn that a person of another language cannot tell whether the name Panashe is male or female, that explains the level of her maturity.

For brevity, I will repeat: why does Chigumadzi think that ubuntu is unique? (Everywhere the world works better is where some kind of ubuntu is at work.)

Where in Africa is ubuntu in evidence? (Everywhere I have been in Africa persuades me to stick to my own brand of ubuntu.)

Academic Chigumadzi ought to know the true meaning of mlungu — it does not mean “not one of us ”— it comes from Uganda and thereabouts and it means “important person”.

And I suspect that most of the reactions would have been along the lines of, “We are sick to death of the whining — African failures are for Africans to own”.

M Bowes, Cape Town

Matric is overhyped

Matric is a South African word and only in this country is so much emphasis placed on it. This matric madness can put undue pressure on young people, especially those unable to focus on their studies for various reasons. These could include attentiondeficit disorder, problems at home or leaving school early to support a family.

Those without this qualification can still achieve happiness and success in many ways. There is no need to despair.

In any situation we are able to dig deep and tap into inner resources we may not have been aware of.

Though I only got an E for English in matric, I still managed to get this letter published.

Martin Zagnoev, Sunningdale

Write to PO Box 1742, Saxonwold 2132; SMS 33662; e-mail: tellus@sundaytimes.co.za; Fax: 011 280 5150 All mail should be accompanied by a street address and daytime telephone number. The Editor reserves the right to cut letters