HATS OFF TO (STERLING) SERVICE WITH A SMILE

SOUTH Africans seem to be a nation of complainers.

Just open any newspaper to follow the current batch of moans.

Whether it’s at national, provincial, municipal or sports body level, we’ll complain about it.

It’s probably corrupt, racist, sexist or just plain inefficient and there’s somebody grousing about it.

Well, I’d like to start the week with a ray of sunshine, just for a change and sing the praises of the Cape Town municipal electricity department.

Last week I experienced some real service efficiency.

One gloomy morning I awoke to find my electricity supply had failed — no light, no heat, no alarm, no automatic garage door opener.

I fumbled my way to the phone and dialled the Electricity Department. It was 7.30am and I would not have been surprised to find nobody answering at that early hour. (Well, early for me anyway.)

To my surprise a cheerful voice replied and asked for my account number. I gave him the number and he said: “Good morning Mr Biggs, how can I help you?”

I grumped that I was having a local load shedding experience that didn’t seem to be affecting my neighbours, and he said he would report the matter and give me a reference number to quote if the problem wasn’t fixed within an hour.

“Hang on,” I said, “let me get a pencil to write it down.”

“No need for that, sir. I’ll SMS the number to your cellphone.”

And he did, and two efficient technicians arrived at my front door even before I’d had time to get out of my pyjamas.

They tested my distribution box, located the fault, wished me a good day and left with a cheery smile. It was just after 8am.

I was impressed.

What a wonderful country we would have if the whole bureaucratic machine worked as efficiently as the City of Cape Town’s electricity department! I felt I should write about my experience so other bureaucrats could take note, and possibly get in touch with the CCT to learn how things should be done.

I’m proud to be a Capetonian, but not always proud to admit that I’m a South African.

I’d be embarrassed to be associated with leaders who waste our money “suspending” each other instead of providing their people with the services we pay for.

Cape Town seems to get it right.

Last Laugh

A new barber’s shop opened in the village and began canvassing for customers.

For years the old village barber had charged R100 for a haircut.

The new barber put up a sign offering haircuts for only R50.

The old barber refused to lower his price.

Instead he put a sign in his window saying: “R50 haircuts repaired here.”