Letters
LETTER OF THE WEEK - Reckless drivers must study their K53 book
On Saturday afternoon on my way from Richards Bay on the John Ross Highway, a golden BMW travelling at very high speed hit my right side mirror.
The driver was overtaking two cars at once and, after hitting me, he didn’t even care to stop.
Unfortunately I could not get his registration number, but it was an NRB registered vehicle.
I am quiet sure wherever he is, he will never find peace knowing that whatever he did to me, others will do to him.
With the World Cup around the corner, the City will be congested, so we need patient and competent drivers in Zululand otherwise there will be more unnecessary accidents.
And to the drivers who did not get the chance to study the K53 book before they obtained their licenses, its very cheap and its not a crime to get one and do some revision.
ZIMBILI NXASANE
Grateful for support
The Mkhwanazi Royal Family of KwaDlangezwa and the Mkhwanazi Traditional Authority would like to take this opportunity to convey their appreciation to organisations and individuals for their messages of condolences and support. We are grateful for the generous donations, resources and volunteering of personal time during the passing and the burial of the late Inkosi Mkontokayise John Mkhwanazi. This has been difficult time for us and we are grateful for your support and the difference it has made.
THE MKHWANAZI ROYAL FAMILY AND MKHWANAZI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL
‘Holy’ roads a costly menace
I have lived in the Richards Bay/Empangeni area all my life, but recently I was disappointed by the state of the R107 road at Empangeni. The road has a huge pothole that can result in an instant car crash. What upsets me the most is that there are no warning signs at all. I was driving on the road when my car suddenly dipped as I hit the hole. I tried to swerve but there was another vehicle following mine, leaving me with a punctured tyre and a damaged rim. I then heard two other cars battling behind mine. As traumatised as I was, I drove on hoping that nothing was amiss. When the car suddenly stopped, I was glad that my son was with me to assist. I had to change the tyre and still had to take my car in for additional repairs,
These are all costs which I have had to fund from my own pocket just because someone out there is not doing their job properly. It is my plea that the problem of potholes is looked into before more damage is done.
PRINCESS
Too much protection for criminals
‘Father jailed’ - the article in the ZO of 22 February refers.
It is so sad that a father that beats up the rapist of his four year-old daughter is jailed for assault.
Since guilt has not yet been proven against the alleged rapist, he remains a free man.
However, I have no doubt that the jailed father must have had good reason to believe that the man did in fact rape his little girl and it is obvious that he had the rest of the community behind him.
At best this father should have been charged and released pending further investigation.
If the alleged rapist did in fact rape this child, can one blame the community if they take the law into their own hands?
I am sorry, but the criminals receive absolute protection from the law and for this very same reason we will soon find more and more vigilantes as this seems the only way that justice will prevail.
This brings me back to an incident that happened in our neighbourhood, Arboretum, on 21 February. On my way to work at around 10am I saw two guys chasing a man.
The fleeing man soon ran out of energy and jumped over the fence at the local primary school and fell down on the grass, totally exhausted.
Within five minutes two ADT security vehicles stopped at the scene.
I was told by the one chaser that the man had broken into a house in the area.
When ADT Security arrived, the first thing that the alleged thief did was throw his hands into the air and shouted ‘call the police’.
One wonders why?
Does he know that he will probably be protected by the police and was afraid of the security officers?
Whilst at the scene another motorist tried for about 20 minutes to get hold of the police on the emergency number, but nobody answered the phone.
There are indeed good and dedicated police trying their best to serve and protect the public, but there are also the bad apples that spoil it for the good guys who, believe me, have all my sympathy as they seem to be fighting a losing battle.
ANONYMOUS
What a stench
I would like some answers as to what our municipality is doing about the water quality in Richards Bay?
Recently it has become a dreaded occasion to walk up to a tap and open it.
The smell is disgusting, I might as well drink straight from the sewage farm.
The taps have to run for at least two minutes just to make sure the initial stench disappears and the water is therefore clean – a wastage of water.
While showering, every few minutes you are again assaulted by more horrific smells passing through the water again.
This is not acceptable. The stories that the heat makes it worse, is not acceptable either.
How can we as ratepayers accept this as normal and let it keep happening without it being sorted out?
I have lived in Richards Bay for three years and only recently realised that as time passes it is becoming worse and nothing is being done about it.
These days we are having to buy water purifiers or bottled water just to make sure that we are not consuming too many chemicals through the water or drinking the filth that is not cleaned properly.
CAROL-ANN SMITH
Nseleni goat and sheep pen
I am a resident of KwaMbonambi and nearly every day when going into Richards Bay I want to spit blood.
On the highway at Nseleni a trading post has been erected for the sale of sheep and goats.
When this business started they put up a bit of shade cloth for the animals as it gets hellishly hot on this site.
Since December there has been no shade for these animals - said shade cloth has disappeared and all the animals are trying to find shade by crowding against the wall of the building.
We have phoned the SPCA and reported our displeasure.
Yes, we know they are there for a reason but even a condemned man has his last dinner wish granted.
Up in Mtuba they also sell livestock, but these animals are in pens in the shade of a number of trees.
Hopefully this letter shames these people into doing something about protecting these animals.
This is not ignorance, just plain bloody mindedness.
DAWN MARKS
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