LETTER: Praise ANC’s pragmatism

I get the emotional outburst and indignation in Michael Schimdt’s article (“Pursuit of justice agonisingly slow in prosecuting apartheid crimes”, July 5). However, here’s a contrarian point of view: perhaps the ANC leadership should be praised for their pragmatism over emotion in this matter.

Wars cause casualties, and the longer they last the bigger the toll. Decisions — painful decisions — were made to free the oppressed masses of SA and cut short the suffering. Part of the price of freedom, on top of the estimated 4,500 deaths the struggle had already cost, was to forgive and move on. 

By dragging on for years the Vietnam War ended up costing more than 3-million lives. SA managed to avoid this carnage. Let us give thanks instead of focusing on matters gone by.

SA as a nation should be looking ahead at the clear and present dangers it faces instead of clamouring for old wounds to be opened up.

Leon Jacobsz
Via email

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