Letters Correspondent

Smanga Sethane’s letter, “Media need to engage in serious introspection” (March 6), lambasting the media for reporting Shaik’s early release as suspicious, might secure him a position as Shaik’s spindoctor once he is resurrected from his dying bed with a miracle drug and is given a position in Jacob Zuma’s cabinet.

It is evident Sethane is close to Shaik, given the fact that he has visited him on several occasions. He is no ordinary visitor, so he lacks the objectivity required to comment on the reasons behind Shaik’s early release.

The number of tablets a patient takes is not an indication of the seriousness of an illness. It is perfectly in order for a patient with hypertension to be on about four drugs per day and still function normally.

I have a 65-year-old patient with diabetes, hypertension, asthma, an enlarged prostate, and depression in the past, who had a by-pass and is on about 10 medications. He is hale and hearty and very willing to find a job to make up for the shortfall in his pension.

Chest pain by itself does not allude to a cause, and in itself is not enough to make one terminally ill.

Jody Kollapen, head of the HRC, is right to question Shaik’s early release without proper grounds or medical evidence.

The correct thing that the doctors should have done, to avoid suspicion about their credibility, was to divulge, with Shaik’s permission, the medical reasons for his early parole.

What is Shaik so afraid of when Judge Edwin Cameron has declared his HIV status and carries on with his daily tasks with absolute conviction?

The secrecy around Shaik’s condition is ample reason for the media to be suspicious and speculate the probability of something being amiss with his early release, and even about the relationship between the doctors and Shaik.

Before Shaik arises from his near death bed, the doctors responsible for his parole should be answerable to the Health Professionals Council .

I now understand what Zuma means when he says his party will deal with corruption: if you commit a crime you will be cleared of all charges if you are connected to the new ANC with no comment when questioned by the media.

I hope the public understands what they are in for when they vote in April.

.­ Dr E V Rapiti Mitchells Plain, Cape Town