Jacob Zuma is terribly mistaken when he accuses fair-minded citizens of treating Schabir Shaik as a mass murderer and that they lack compassion because they are questioning the medical grounds for Shaik's early parole.

The truth is South Africans are sick and tired of high levels of crime and the government's indifference to it. All we have heard from the ruling party is the same old empty rhetoric that crime is a priority. A priority to commit it or fight it?

It is common knowledge that Shaik is not a mass-murderer but was convicted of fraud and also maintained what Judge Hilary Squires indicated was a corrupt relationship with Zuma.

Today Zuma has to pay the price for this relationship with Shaik in the courts in May, unless the ANC obtains a two-thirds majority in the election to change the constitution in order to save Zuma from prosecution.

The issue for most citizens is not Shaik's crime, but the way the Correctional Services went about granting him parole. From all the reports available, Shaik suffered from severe hypertension and depression and received the best medical care. Sadly few other prisoners, with worse conditions, have had as wonderful treatment as Shaik.

Why should Shaik get such first-class treatment when a juvenile prisoner that I referred to a state hospital for admission after two suicide attempts was returned to the cells without counselling or medication for his depression, with the impending risk of taking his life?

If Shaik was granted parole on the basis of hypertension, then the information that hypertension is a terminal illness is a first for me. I have been in practice for 30 years and have seen thousands of patients. Hypertension, usually when poorly controlled, can lead to a stroke, heart attack; cardiac failure or sudden death. Except for sudden death, all the other conditions are treatable.

The case against doctors responsible for Shaik's early parole is similar to that against the doctors who reported that the late Steve Biko died of natural causes.

If doctors are going to be gagged by government authorities for acting with their conscience and in accordance with the requirements of the Health Professions Council, then we are slowly eroding the wonderful achievements we have made through our democracy.

Finally, Zuma's unequivocal support for Shaik is a precarious pre-election statement and speaks volumes about his and his party's claimed determination to tackle serious crime in this country.

Dr E V Rapiti
Mitchells Plain

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I am responding to Zuma's defence of his supposedly dying buddy Schabir Shaik.

How can you possibly feel "deeply saddened" that so many South Africans have made up their minds regarding Shaik's medical condition, Zuma?

Let me remind you why people may be feeling this way.

Firstly this country is run by a government that is plagued by bribery and corruption.

Almost every single government department, from Home Affairs to the police force, metro police, the defence force, public works, Eskom, South African Airways etc, makes headlines almost daily because of graft.

People at the very highest levels within these departments have been charged with corruption.

And finally, there has been a covering up of various scandals such as the arms deal and Travelgate.

These are just a few reasons why people are sceptical as to how and why Shaik was released from prison.

If Shaik is in the "final stages of a terminal illness", then prove it to us. It's the very least we deserve.

Maybe he is, but then again, based on the credibility of our present government, chances are he isn't.

David Horne
Green Point