IN A radio debate, Zeth Luzipho, secretary of Cosatu in KwaZulu-Natal, distanced himself from the mess created by the ANC when they privatised buses. At that time Luzipho was the secretary of South African Municipal Workers Union.

Only one leftist, the late Gill Fourie who bitterly disapproved of privatisation, was ignored. Luzipho and SACP members like Minah Lesoma, James Nxumalo and Nomvuzo Shabalala did not object because Jay Singh was a close buddy of John Mchunu, ANC chairperson in the eThekwini Region. Luzipho brought Thabo Mbeki's name into this maladministration as if Mbeki had ordered the privatisation. Mbeki was not running the Ethekwini metro council.

Drivers and staff were exploited and not on a single day did Cosatu and SACP come to defend them. The ANC cronies benefited from the deal.

We need to know the roles played by the then MEC for Transport Sbu Ndebele, the SACP's Eric Mtshali and especially Dr Mike Sutcliffe, who endorsed the Remnat Alton Consortium.

Again, this maladministration vindicates those who objected to the ANC extending the contract to 2011. Why was this approved when all section 57 employees get a five-year contract?

The involvement of the Taxi Alliance, a fierce competitor for passengers in the consortium, leaves many questions.

It is sad that the government that claims to be for the poor puts commuters in hardship in the same way it does traders.

In a modern democracy Sutcliffe would have long resigned or been expelled. I support a view expressed by Cope to picket against Sutcliffe and for him to resign.

Don Kingsley, Bluff