No one benefits from late or burnt out trains

WHENEVER I am in my car and listening to the radio, I become slightly depressed by the traffic reports, which always include mention of the state of the Cape’s suburban train system. Each morning there seem to be at least two commuter trains running an hour or more late. That means several thousand workers arrive at work more than an hour late through no fault of their own.

Apparently, it’s so bad that I was told by a member of the chamber of commerce that many employers were now asking job applicants how they intend to get to work each day. Those who can get to work by any means other than trains are given priority.

It may seem unfair to the people who live far out of the city centre, but business people need to know their staff will be there when there’s work to be done.

You can’t run a business with people who are never at work.

I also heard from somebody connected with the Cape Town city council that the city council had been trying for a considerable time to take over control of the suburban rail system, so it can run it properly.

This idea has always been fiercely opposed by the central government. One can’t help wondering why.

Do they see our train service as a sort of flagship like the deeply indebted SAA?

Does the government actually want to keep pouring money into failed enterprises?

One suggested answer is that the central government would like nothing better than to see the Western Cape fail. The DA-run province is clearly the best run part of the country and it must be a constant thorn in the flesh of those who feel they should be in charge of everything.

Particularly when towns and cities in other provinces are in such disarray that the government has had to step in and take over their management.

Elections are looming and those who want to gain control of our country’s most successful province will be looking for all kinds of devious ways to make the Western Cape look bad. One can’t help wonder whether there are evil political motives behind things like the torching of railway carriages, cable theft and illegal land grabs.

Surely anybody with even half a brain cell can see that nobody benefits from a burnt train.

I’m beginning to think my euphoric remarks about the re-opening of the Simon’s Town train service were a little premature.

Last Laugh

Two elderly women met in the shopping mall and after telling each other about their relevant aches and pains, the one said: “How is your husband Harry doing these days?” “Oh, didn’t you hear? Harry died last week.” “I’m so sorry to hear that. How did it happen?” “Well, it was on Tuesday and I was making supper, when Harry went out to the garden to pick some lettuce, and as he turned to come back he had a heart attack and just dropped down dead in the pathway.” “Oh my goodness! What did you do?” “Well, what could I do? I opened a tin of peas instead.”