A chara, – The recommendation to endorse South Africa's bid to host the Rugby World Cup is quite extraordinary (irishtimes-irishtimes.cdn.zephr.com, October 31st). It will cause outrage throughout this country.
Contested allegations of bribery surrounded a €10 million payment South Africa paid at around the time of the football world cup; and the world cup cost the country millions of South African rand to stage it.
Due to the weekly corruption charges against the ANC this will be a step too far. There is 27 per cent unemployment here.
Township murders occur every week here and are no longer reported. Two months ago a bus carrying 36 tourists was held up at gunpoint in Johannesburg and all were robbed of all their possessions.
Police are totally ineffective and court cases are rare. Car- jacking increased by 20 per cent this year. The country’s financial rating will be reduced to junk status next month. – Yours, etc,
JAMES RIORDAN,
SimonsTown,
Western Cape,
Republic of South Africa.
