Letter: Heavy-handed security in parliament not acceptable

The last few months have been very interesting, if viewed from the sidelines. Since the ANC lost control of major municipalities, it has been thrown into a deep crevice. The assault of a Port Elizabeth metro councillor with a water jug was nothing like the efforts of security personnel in parliament last week! The “president” must be feeling very insecure to have brought in the army ahead of his state of the nation address, but he is also oblivious of the fact he is losing ground support. The “thinking” ANC members are obviously very concerned that if they lose ground, they will also lose the entry into the lucrative tender business of state entities.

Whatever the background interests may be, the fact remains that what went on in the parliamentary surrounds is not acceptable to the so-called Western culture. What went on in Cape Town was shown on TV all around the world. Last week we had an international cricket match in Cape Town and we must compliment the behaviour of the crowd, who behaved like true South Africans, not the rabble that were on display around the corner. The ANC must wake up and realise that its president has become a liability and must be got rid of so that the country can stage the economic revival that it has the potential for, not the 0.5% that we are presently achieving! R A Hill, Greenacres, Port Elizabeth HEAVILY armed police and soldiers in the precincts of parliament, teargas released among members of the public, parliamentary bully-boys using strongarm tactics against members of parliament and all this at the behest of the speaker. We must mark this day well. It is the day our democracy lost its virginity.