Izelle Theunissen, Strand
Thank you for Norman McFarlane’s, “An open letter to Cyril Ramaphosa” (Bolander, February 5). I can’t agree more with him.
Mikhail Gorbachev and FW de Klerk both knew that their actions, in all probability, would mean the end of life as they knew it. Who would have thought that the Russian Bear would roll over, “bene in die lug”? (Although, Vladimir Putin is very keen to resurrect the bear)
And who would have thought that the National Party would ever disintegrate? Both of them knew what was coming, and were ready to accept the responsibility of changing their countries (even if it meant their “downfall”, and the demise of the omnipotent parties they so diligently served)…because they knew change had to come. The jig was up.
Nelson Mandela was willing to go to jail – he didn’t know what would become of him, or the ANC as he knew it, or even for how long he would have to spend in jail. In fact, he didn’t know whether he would come out of jail alive. These men were true leaders.
Mr Ramaphosa has to (in good, old fashioned French) “grow a pair”. I read somewhere that he said, “If you want a dictator, I’m not your man”. There is a huge difference between a dictator (forcing his ideas upon everybody, thinking just about his own position and comfort), a true leader, acting as his conscience dictates, and somebody who just wants to please everybody and be the nice, friendly guy on the block. We want a leader, not a willy-nilly figurehead.
South Africans of every possible hue, and in all possible economic classes, are crying out for ethical, sound leadership. I think that, even if Mr Ramaphosa’s worst nightmare happens and the ANC implodes, he’d be very pleasantly surprised about who will rally around him.
In my opinion, the only leader, at this stage, willing to take unpopular decisions and taking the bull by its horns, is Herman Mashaba (also Andre de Ruyter, if he manages to get the people of Soweto to pay for their electricity). So, please Mr Ramaphosa, show us you are serious about being the president of South Africa, not just the president of the faction of the ANC that happens to have the upper hand at this moment. Show us you have some “murg in jou pype”.
