POLITICISING THE GRAVE ISSUE OF CRIME IS CRIMINAL IN ITSELF

There is always a group close to the BP garage. When you walk from Green Point, crossing Buitengracht Street and down Riebeeck Street, chances are very good that you will get mugged. Between 3am and 5am is not a good time to take a stroll in town.

These days criminals hang around at clubs and bars, especially at closing time. This is when they strike. These guys are professionals. Trust me on this one – they not homeless.

I left the worst story for last: On Friday, I went with a homeless friend of mine to KFC on the corner of Plain and Spin streets. I told him to go to find a table while I ordered. The manager came to the front and asked him to leave.

When I told her he was with me, she said the customers were complaining that he smelled bad. No diplomacy here whatsoever.

My friend went outside. I was so shocked I was left speechless. My order was fast-tracked.

He did not stink – I would never put a person in an embarrassing position like that. But it was not so much what the manager said, it was about how she conducted herself.

Needless to say, my friend and I never got around to eating as we had both lost our appetites.

I will never eat KFC again. In all fairness, I did call the helpline and the kind lady who took my call promised to investigate the matter.

We live in an unbalanced society where some of us do not smell of Chanel or Dior and there could be a whiff of perspiration.

But we must never forget our humanity. We interact with other human beings – people with feelings and emotions.

People in high or privileged positions should exercise some etiquette when dealing with those who are less fortunate. WHAT a sad day in our war-torn township of Bonteheuwel, where Mayco member for safety and security Alderman JP Smith and ward councillor Angus Mckenzie were ejected from a community meeting to tackle the very threat of rampant crime and violence.

Undoubtedly, the duo attended the meeting to seek solutions with the community to quell the upsurge in crime. Mckenzie has been forging ahead unabatedly since coming into office.

The politicising of this grave issue of crime is in itself criminal because of innocent lives lost as casualties of gang violence and drug turf wars.

Human life can never be compromised or lost through cheap politics by Police Minister Bheki Cele, and must be rejected at all costs. The electorate is not stupid.

Let us lower the political guard to address the need for effective policing and safety and security of Bonteheuwel.

This is the tangible dispensation that we need to offer our people, not empty promises.