5 FEBRUARY 1994, Page 24

Less dog, more dogma

Sir: I should be surprised if Fergal Keane supplied his own translation for the word 'kaffir' (The indispensable Afrikaner', 22 January) as he has been in South Africa long enough to know that the word is Ara- bic for 'infidel' or 'unbeliever'. It does not mean 'dog', as stated in the article.

Duke Kent-Brown

South African Embassy, Trafalgar Square, London WC2