SHOULD he first be famous or perfect before we can spare him the thought of rejection as one of us?

No doubt Ras Dumisani took a gamble and the outcome was diabolical.

It is okay to express outrage, but what do we hope to gain by demanding such extreme retributive measures? I had thought we were a forgiving nation, so where is our boundless forgiveness suddenly?

On radio Dumisani apologised profusely and unreservedly. He said he should have refused to sing after proper equipment was not organised. He, therefore, accepted responsibility for embarrassing his country.

But what would have happened had he refused to sing and someone else, other than a South African national, messed up the anthem? Would he not have suffered worse insults and probably have been told never to set foot in South Africa again for being unpatriotic?

Perhaps more than being an opportunist, Dumisani might well have been driven, despite the adverse situation, by the very nationalism for which the self-righteous nationalists are crucifying him.

More than wanting him to be perfect - and I wonder if nationalism demands perfection or allegiance - we should appreciate him for courageously raising his hands in identifying with South Africa.

Was it the first time that the anthem was badly sung - and I'm not condoning its bad singing? But why is every Tom, Dick and Harry suddenly feeling confident to spew vitriol like a volcano erupting? Where were they and why did the media hush-hush Sis Letta Mbuli's bad singing of the anthem?

Hans R Mangole, Pretoria