Letters | Debating debacle

I read, with interest, the story of the pupils who just loved debating and are good at it (Witness, January 30). I think that’s something I would enjoy. How I would love to hear a debate and I think it’s a very important skill.

I think it’s wonderful that they are so amazingly talented. I feel the story is not fair. What Ngobese desperately needed the money for was for airfares for the children.

That is why he gambled. It had nothing to do with money for himself. Now, to say that he was gambling away the pupil’s funds is extremely unfair.

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He was deeply distressed when he realised there was not enough money for the airfares. He booked himself into a homeless shelter, fearful of learning that the parents had hired a private investigator and that a criminal case was being opened against him. I just feel that this wretched man was not knowledgeable enough to deal with the airfares and the costs.

The fact that he was so desperately upset about it, I really feel he is not to blame. To have to deal with the money as well, somehow, is too much. I am sure he is extremely competent, but money is probably not his thing.

I don’t want anything to happen to him. He’s doing his best; he loves what he does and he’s obviously extremely good at it. The stress on this poor man must be enormous.

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