Can no one in ANC say 'enough'?

PUBLIC Works Minister Thulas Nxesi's statement as reported in The Herald ("'What's all the fuss about a few million'", May 1) deserves a reply, a contemptuous reply from all those ANC members and supporters who claim the moral high ground.

It beggars belief that it is only some of the "old school" in the ANC – Jay Naidoo, Ronnie Kasrils, Desmond Tutu et al – who seem to see the problem here.

Of great concern is that the younger generation within the ANC, the future leaders of the organisation and potentially the country, are all very quiet about not only Nkandla, but corruption and service delivery. It appears that they support these goings-on which – on the face of it – doesn't bode well for the country, as the ANC will govern for the next five years.

Indeed several Ipsos polls seem to indicate that corruption is not of major concern to those who support the ANC, and that any criticism from outside is bullying tactics and the organisation is being picked on! The ANC seems to be thumbing its nose at the rest of South Africa and, frankly, Nxesi's defence of Nkandla is to make the rest of us look stupid – how dare we question the decisions of the government?

I do not know or understand the inner workings of the ANC and in particular where internal criticism that is put into the public domain is frowned on. To me, once the national executive committee (NEC) has been appointed, it appears that the million-odd members who appointed the NEC lose their power and must toe the line until the next ANC elections come along.

I cannot believe that among those million-odd members, there is no-one who can stand up and raise concerns about what is happening within the organisation and the government. Who can turn around to those like Nxesi and say "hold on – what you are saying and doing is wrong"?

I do, however, agree that the DA, in the run-up to these elections seems to go on too much about the criticism of Nkandla and corruption, and doesn't offer enough of the plan of action on what to do about these issues. In fact, all political parties seem to gloss over the nitty gritty and speak in headlines.

I hear, for example, that the DA in the Western Cape has a pro-poor budget, which I would assume to be similar to its plans should it take the Eastern Cape. Why is it not emphasising this more?

The ANC waffles on about the "good story to tell" – but frankly, from the very low baseline from where it started, it couldn't but do well in improving people's lives. Yes, there is a good story to tell, but what about the future?

How is it going to continue the good story for all – and not for a politically connected few? I think it looks back far too often and not enough to the future.

I shall be happy when these elections are over. There has been too much white noise.

All I ask of whoever gets into power is do the right thing. Have the political will to follow up on those promises and don't be parasites on South Africans' goodwill.

Hopefully there is a young person out there, from whatever party, who can stand up in the shadow of Nelson Mandela and be counted as one of those truly great leaders that South Africa can produce.

Simon Brewer, Port Elizabeth