Letter of the week
Misguided training
A newspaper carried an article reporting that some councillors completed a one year course in executive leadership, development and municipal management at the University of Pretoria. Their mayor approved, saying that all municipalities are required to ensure their councillors are qualified for the positions they occupy. The government even allocated money to be used for their training. While it is helpful that councillors have a knowledge of municipal law and other management skills, the real question is whether it is appropriate to spend money training councillors who are possibly going to change every time there is an election? Surely it would be more efficient to improve the training for the municipal civil servants who will then be qualified to advise the councillors and keep advising them as new councillors are elected. A particularly important area of incompetence is in understanding financial matters. Surely there is a dire need for both municipal civil servants and councillors to be more competent in the finances of the municipalities. If the government is going to pay for the training of these councillors they should have to pay fringe benefits tax in the same way they should have had to pay for their free Fifa soccer tickets! While I am delighted that the councillors - and for that matter the politicians -have to qualify like any other profession, it is the manner in which it is being done that raises eyebrows.
F DU TOIT
Ballito
Proud sporting achievements
What a wonderful week to be South African - and a KwaZulu-Natalian.
First came the news that Durban surfer Jordy Smith won the Mr Price Pro Ballito on Saturday.
With this fantastic achievement, he has moved into number one on the ASP World Rankings.
Then, on Sunday (Nelson Mandela's 92nd birthday) Louis Oosthuizen played the round of his life to win his first major championship - the 139th Open Championship - by a massive seven shots.
And the best part was he dedicated his win to the great man - Tata.
Happy birthday Madiba and viva South Africa.
PROUD BANANA BOY
Mooi so Sussie
Die storie in Maandag se ZO wat die grootste lekkerkry gegee het was die een van Sussie Barnard wat nie nonsens gevat het van voornemende kapers nie. ’n Mens veronderstel dat die meeste van ons bloot net sal vries as ons skielik deur gevaarlike gewapende rowers gekonfronteer word - veral as jy vrou-alleen saam met jou bejaarde moeder in dié penarie beland.
Maar dit lyk my die Barnard gesin het êrens Van Helsdingen bloed in die are.
Om in sulke omstandighede te besluit genoeg is genoeg en die skietende rowers self onder vuur te plaas, wil gedoen wees. Ons is net dankbaar dat hulle ongedeerd daarvan afgekom het, maar wil terselftertyd hulle bedank dat hulle namens ons ’n waarskuwing aan die booswigte gegee het dat ons nie almal summier boedel oorgee nie.
Net jammer die Barnards se visiere was bietjie uit, maar mens verstaan dat dit maar wild gaan in sulke omstandighede.
Mooi so julle, julle het ons dag gemaak.
F LE ROUX
The greatest tournament ever
The most special gift we as South Africans received during the year 2010 was surely the Fifa World Cup.
It brought families and friends together to celebrate, and although our boys did not take the cup, at the end we had the opportunity of hosting the tournament in South Africa.
Big ‘ups’ to our citizens for doing us proud and for the amazing hospitality we gave our visitors.
It has been good to hear that the tourists themselves have given us a good report.
It was great that President Jacob Zuma was so passionate about the games and supported our boys, Bafana Bafana.
Protalia Zwane
Acts of repulsion
‘Grandfather accused of rape’ reads the headline in the Zululand Observer on Monday.
How many people read that twice, or have we become hardened to such terrible news?
Though I feel instantly sick to my stomach on reading that a 71 year-old man could defile his handicapped granddaughter in such a way, I was forced to remember that these atrocities take place around us every day.
How is it that a society can live in such a manner, where grandparents, mothers, fathers and protectors can turn on the people who are supposed to feel safe with them?
Every night when I go to sleep, I thank God for my loving, protective family, and pray for those who are subjected to horrors behind closed doors.
I also wonder what my own beloved grandfather - a man of great honour and integrity - would have felt reading such stories?
Perhaps it is a blessing that he is no longer living in a world where such horrors are taking place.
SHAMED
Empangeni
St Lucia - the way backward
Most visitors to St Lucia comment, with great envy, on the cleanliness and order in our village.
Although some permanent residents share this appreciation, it is rather alarming to note the apathetic attitude of the majority who seem to think that these things just happen automatically, when in fact this is due to the diligence of our maintenance contractors and the co-operation of all security members in St Lucia.
The main driving force behind all this, however, is the St Lucia Ratepayers’ Association who, on an ongoing basis, liaise with Mtubatuba Municipality, Eskom, uMkhanykude District Municipality, SAPS and the like regarding issues such as water supply, electricity, roads, rates and taxes, security, noise pollution or drug abuse.
It has come to my attention that, due to lack of interest from the community, this Association may be dissolved.
A meeting is due to for 29 July in order to plan the way forward, or to decide how to disperse the approximate R30 000 in the coffers from membership funds.
Due to its persistence and ‘never give up’ attitude, this Association has earned the respect of the authorities and it will surely be a sad day for the community if it had to be dissolved.
I ask myself, ‘Do we really want to become another Mtuba?’
Surely this association deserves the support of all the residents of St Lucia.
CONCERNED RESIDENT
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