Ratepayers are being sidelined in city budget hearings
City
Those who pay most of the rates are sidelined in the eThekwini draft budget hearings. See venues: http://www.durban.gov.za/media_ publications/new2/Pages/Mayorencourages-citizens-to-attend-201314-draft-budget-hearings.aspx
Anybody know why we don’t have streetlights on freeways like the N2? In other countries there is some form of lighting on freeways. We need lighting on the N2, at least between King Shaka International Airport and eManzimtoti.
Councillors in arrears with their bill payments for more than three months: why are their water and electricity not disconnected? All of them are well paid and many of them own businesses as well. People who are unemployed or earning peanuts have their supplies cut if they’re a few days in arrears. What makes these councillors different?
Thanks to the electricity department for the prompt resolution of the streetlight outage in Pitlochry Road, Westville.
Politics
Chris Hani would have been in line to be the first black president of South Africa. How can Derby-Lewis answer for that?
Whew, Dees. You had me worried there. One Zuma who believes he is living in Utopia is enough.
To the person who claimed Zuma would be blamed if it rained for a week: you have it all wrong. That would be blamed on apartheid.
It is a shame that the best candidate the ANC as a collective can find as president is the deeply flawed Jacob Zuma. It also indicates how morally corrupt the ruling party actually is. RB.
Zuma blames apartheid for our country having nice areas and areas of squatters, but ALL countries have this division. Nursie.
I will be eternally be grateful to the ANC, no matter what they do wrong. I now live in Durban North and look at the beautiful ocean, something that is considered normal under the ANC, but was considered a terrible crime under white rule. Who are the bad guys? SAM.
It is devastating and heartbreaking to see the poor in their shacks and hovels being flooded out and losing their few, hard-won possessions, while government ministers ride around in million-rand luxury cars, stay in luxury hotels, travel in style overseas etc and Zuma living like a king in his rural palace. When will ANC voting fodder wake up and kick them out? What is even more incomprehensible is the very few well-educated people in government that one considers to have integrity and morality stay in the corrupt ANC, where nearly every day a new, rotten scandal is revealed. No wonder they so desperately want a secrecy bill to hide their nefarious, dodgy actions. MC.
So the government wants to an investigation into the SA Football Association’s alleged match-fixing: that’s the pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it? Just wondering. JP.
Unions
Almost everything we have in chain stores is made in China. Who is to blame? Our labour unions. They ask their members to strike for higher wages/salaries, which their employers cannot afford, resulting in manufacturing companies closing down and the loss of jobs. The chain stores then look for other suppliers which invariably are from China where almost anything and everything is the cheapest. As it stands there are many Chinese-owned and operated stores in SA. Many of our locally owned small business stores are closing down because they cannot compete with cheap imports. Prem.
So before unions, there was no lunch break. You just ate and worked. What was the eating part called and how much of it was done during the day? Hungry for enlightenment.
It will only be a matter of time before these house robbers move on to another area. But then when the myopic unions have trashed the mines and they close down, when the textile union chases away the Newcastle Chinese employers, when the few workers left can’t get to work because the bus drivers are on strike and those who want to study can’t because Unisa is on strike, the matric markers are on strike so no exam results, the gangs will have nobody of substance to rob. Maybe they will apply for unemployment from the collapsed social welfare state we have created. Dave, La Lucia.
Education
At my school, members of the Singing And Dancing Teachers Union (Sadtu) are not teaching at all, stating that this is a union directive. Sadtu top brass say they will WORK seven hours and not more. Who’s fooling who? Sadtu members at my school have the full blessing of the principal, a newly converted comrade, who told the pupils at assembly “learn from your friends”.
Matric markers used to be subject specialists who applied for marking jobs because they needed the money. Teachers apply to be markers, but many don’t get the job. Now tell me, where does Sadtu come in? If a teacher is not happy with the pay, don’t apply to be a matric marker. This is a voluntary job. P Pillay.
And when the Sadtu strike is over, teachers will have to “gofast” and guess who will then be most stressed? Guess pupils will be “force-fed” with info like prisoners on a hunger strike in Guantanamo. Moorak-ka-baap.
Zimbabwe loan
The reason Zim’s Zanu-PF is touching SA for money for their elections is because although the UN offered $1.2 billion to do the same thing, the UN also insisted on putting in monitors to watch out for dodgy behaviour. So the UN offer was rejected by Mugabe, scared of being caught out. Much safer to deal with the ANC who, from past experience, can be relied on to turn a blind eye and keep quiet about Zanu’s disgraceful preelection violence, ballot stuffing, threats, etc. Mike.
Where are all the toyi-toying louts now that our government is using money that should be used to uplift our people to help the idiot Mugabe?
I am so glad to know that the health, education and other departments are now fully funded and we have lots of money to give away to thieves like Mugabe. AMP.
So Zimbabwe withdrew its request for money for the election because they were not prepared to adhere to any UN regulations. What does that say about our government? Missy.
Boston
Boston: Life is priceless in all parts of the world. May God grant all of us peace. Stop all the hatred. Zak.
The Boston bomber would wish he was in SA. All he would need is about R200 for bail. Mad dog.
To Bounty Hunter: I don’t support the actions of the Boston bombers and I really sympathise with the victims, but three people are killed in the Boston bombings, and you are up in arms. America has been bombing Afghanistan since 2001, but you are silent on that. Why the double standards?
This is not the time to compare the deaths in Pakistan, or Afghanistan to the deaths in the US. It’s time to condemn all these barbaric acts, whether the death toll is three or 3 000. Innocent lives are involved and all those involved have no regard for the sanctity of life.
Little boxes
Dennis Pather’s “Why the need to put ourselves into boxes?” (Views and Analysis, April 18) is a first-class commentary on the sorry state of even highly educated sections of the community who have belittled the reason for our wonderful creation as being to strive only for after-life merit in everything that we do: eat, sleep, Download QR code reader from i-nigma.mobi or your App Store donate to charity, dress, etc to an extent that makes us mere mindless zombies. More articles from enlightened personnel in our sadly impoverished community. e.s.essa
Mr Pather’s article on identity crisis: frankly, I prefer to be considered as a first-class Indian, by India, than as a third-class Muslim by Saudi Arabia. Ebrahim-Mama.
Rugby booze
What a clever solution to the King’s Park alcohol issue: now you can buy your grog at Sharks outlets on the outer field! Another classic rip- off. I hope John Smit will crouch, touch and engage his brains when he takes over. Exvisitor to the outer fields, Durban.
How clever of the Sharks management to turn a tragedy into money. Instead of banning the excessive boozing, they simply decided that, if you’re going to drink anyway, they might as well profit and sell you the alcohol. Capitalism at its worst. The question should be “why do you need to get drunk at a rugby match”? I would have thought that watching the game is the reason you go, not the boozing. ED.
Why should we have our family rugby braais changed because of rugby thugs? We have been attending rugby matches since before the men accused of Brett Williams’s death were born. Security should be strong enough to remove thugs inside and outside the stadium. Caroline.
Circus animals
I went to the Boswell circus last year and was very disturbed watching these elephants constantly shaking their heads, which didn’t look normal to me. They are forced into doing these type of acts which are not normal and you really feel sorry for these animals. KIVS.
Those calling for a full ban on use of animals at circuses, I assume you all are vegetarians? Which is worse: animals made to perform tricks or animals having their throats slit so you can eat? Prabs.
To all you animal lovers out there: I hope you are all vegetarians, otherwise what is your point? The Animal.
Odds and ends
Dear sisters, please do not be influenced by “what kind of shoes do men love to see you in”, especially if their choice is of appallingly high heels. For years I wore high heels morning, noon and night. You will pay for it in your later years, just as I have done. I can assure that it comes with a very nasty price in the form of replacement hip and knee operations, which will happen if you do not take note. We are sucked into these fashions and do not realise the damage they do. Be warned: it is most unpleasant to have this kind of surgery. Gran.
Enough’s enough: what happened to tolerance and respect for the aged? We all get there at some point. I hope you’re not one of those pushy, selfish bullies that think the road is only made for you. JW.
My thoughts and prayers are with you, Rose-Leigh Usher, as you start your stem-cell procedure. Hope you will be well soon, sweetheart. Maureen Mac.
A popular brand of DIY tools offers a guarantee (in this day and age of the Consumer Protection Act) in small print – guaranteed against factory defect and not normal wear and tear – while the box had a big sign claiming a two-year guarantee. It broke soon after purchase. The “smart” assistant pointed out the conditions of guarantee to me while quoting the cost of repair, which was high enough that it may have encouraged some people to buy a new tool. I stopped short of putting my foot on his head. I got a full refund. AK 48.
10 000 cops on full-pay suspension, no wonder crime is on the rampage. There are 10 000 more crooks roaming the streets and getting paid. We are on our own.
And, finally…
The Sharks players are not likely to catch a cold this winter. As they showed us on Saturday, they can’t catch anything. CGD.