Talk of the Town

Time to demand competent leaders

- JOHN HM CARTER, resident in Port Elizabeth and property owner in PA

I commend your restrained and diplomatic front-page report and your editorial in last week’s TotT.

However, the problem quite simply is that we have all been too “polite” on what needs to be said about the “cadres” responsibl­e for this travesty in the failed supply of vital water. Actually, we have been too polite about all the “failures” blighting the country and the people who pay and the poor.

Where now are the “vociferous” other political parties – our saviours? What real plans have they?

Where is the “caring” ANC government? Actually, partying in Bloemfonte­in and parroting again their worthless promises!

What is the ANC-led council doing? Actually, they seem mostly to be drawing exorbitant pay to flaunt fancy clothes and vehicles while foisting facile excuses for the inexcusabl­e.

The litany of management incompeten­ce and indifferen­ce, the lack of any systematic maintenanc­e, the foot-dragging and “missing” funds and “favoured” friends’ contracts and the ever-imaginativ­e excuses are all clear signs that the senior incumbents in Ndlambe are incompeten­t or, shall I say, “suspect”, or both.

They would long since have been “fired” by any credible business!

To wait until such a crisis hits and then to abdicate liability are grounds for instant dismissal.

It should happen now, and they should go without benefits.

Of course, there are more “loyal” cadre replacemen­ts at ANCHQ, jostling for space at “the trough”!

But it is clear, the political “feeders” are incapable of doing the job. So, it is now time for the people of Ndlambe to demand engagement of a “non-political”, trustworth­y team of residents who can and will grasp the problem and can and will fix it, and get on with running the show properly.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and minister Pravin Gordhan must ensure government supports and funds the team.

I would offer to help but am going away for some time. But I am sure the good folks have some “honest fixers” competent to manage the way out of this critical mess. No charlatans to apply!

Come on folks. It’s time to get things going and this council isn’t “hacking it”!

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