People will believe anything if you say it often enough

Letters to the editor

If you throw enough mud it will stick

SIR,

The spy allegations at the Madlanga Commission are preposterous.

Over the past 25 years in post-­apartheid South Africa over 50 top politicians in the government and among the opposition were mentioned as apartheid-era spies.

It was Frederick Douglass in his What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July? speech who suggested that government secrets can be both intentionally hidden (because they are “hard to know”) and difficult to reveal (because they are “hard to utter”).

This dual nature of secrecy applies to both the government itself and the broader political system, implying that some things are obscured by complexity or deliberate concealment, while others are kept hidden due to social or political pressure against speaking them.

We are constantly being told that those opposing the government are either CIA and western agents, and these allegations continue to rock South Africa’s political establishment.

Throughout history mankind has positioned spies to gather information – the view of Shakespeare’s Macbeth such claims are, “a tale told by an idiot signifying nothing”.

Or should we consider the quotation in Hamlet that, “there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy”.The architects of these allegations, probably, read Sun Tzu’s The Art Of War in which he states that, “all war is based on deception”.

According to a study, lies told for political purposes continue to influence people after they have been debunked and, in some instances, are made more credible (in the minds of those predisposed to the message) by the debunking.

No doubt given the nature and scope of intelligence, everyday morals cannot be exactly applied in this profession.

The perception that ethics have no role in intelligence work can be seen from the remarks of US Judge Richard Posner, an astute observer of national security affairs: “Intelligence is the second-oldest profession, only with fewer morals.”

Amid the cascading disclosures involving these spy allegations, it is evident that the information being spilled is obviously wrong.

A lie, Winston Churchill observed, can get halfway round the world before the truth gets its boots on.

History teaches us that, if you tell a lie big enough and often enough, it will eventually be believed to be the truth.

Rumours and innuendo have long influenced the conduct of politics. With the rise of the 24-hour news cycle and rapid communication, the potential for the spread of false information through rumours is perhaps greater than at any time in our history.

It was George Orwell who said: “Political language, is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” | Farouk Araie Benoni

Let me correct this and make amends

Sir,

Thank you for publishing my letter, RSS And Modi’s Legacy Beyond The Myths (Daily News, November 6. 2025).

I apologise for failing to acknowledge Sanu Singh as the writer of the letter, Antipathy Against India, from which I gleaned the relevant information concerning the two-nation theory responsible for partition.

The reason for the omission was to ensure that I kept the letter brief by using as few words as possible.

In doing so, I failed to realise that the omission would create the impression I was referring to my own, earlier letter. I am sorry for creating any misunderstanding. | Kamini Prakash Umhlanga

Go and change the world for the better

To the Matric Class of 2025, I wish you a joyful journey ahead, and the memories you have shared with your teachers, classmates and the broader school community will forever be cherished. Saying goodbye is always a bittersweet moment.

As you step into the broader and changing world, now more connected than ever, remember that you will always have the support of your teachers, family, and the community.

It has been a privilege to watch you grow into the remarkable individuals you are today. Never forget that you have the power to make a meaningful difference in the world. May the road ahead be as extraordinary as each of you are.

Best wishes, dear learners. Go into the different openings and help create a world free from poverty, injustice, inequality, and suffering. Go out and change the world for the better.Let universal human values, compassion, integrity, and a deep sense of purpose be your guide.

During the holiday break, make time for something constructive. Visit family, create, explore, and grow, instead of spending hours on online games or getting lost in social media.

Celebrate your individual achievements, enjoy the moment, and do so responsibly and with care. | MOHAMED SAEED Pietermaritzburg

Call to scrap NSFAS is long overdue

ActionSA Students Chapter welcomes the call by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to scrap the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and to redirect student funding to institutions of higher learning.

For years, students across South Africa have suffered the consequences of mismanagement, corruption, and administrative failures within NSFAS. The Minister’s proposal presents an opportunity to overhaul a system that has failed those it was intended to help.

• ActionSA believes that redirecting funding directly to institutions will:
• Reduce corruption and maladministration by removing intermediaries that repeatedly fail students;
• Improve the efficiency;
• Increase accountability; and
• Provide stability for students

ActionSA remains a funding model that upholds students’ dignity, access and success. While we welcome the Minister’s call, we urge the government to consult student organisations, institutions and civil society to ensure a new model is fair, effective and sustainable.

We will not allow another generation of young people to be trapped by a system that has collapsed beyond repair. For too long, the scheme has been a breeding ground for political interference, incompetence and theft, while students bear the consequences.

They have been denied allowances, excluded from academic programmes, pushed into hunger and driven into depression because the system has become a playground for the corrupt.

We will not accept excuses, delays or political protection for those who have profited from students’ suffering. It is time for accountability, clean governance and a new approach. | THABO MALOSI ActionSA Head of Students Chapter

DAILY NEWS