Live in country beset by crime
THIS was the week that was:
ABUSE OF WOMEN
What terrible times we live in! Women are constantly being abused, raped and murdered, often by their partners or family members.
Detectives involved in tracking down these criminals are being shot dead in their cars, bullet-ridden unmarked police cars forced off the road and the occupants shot dead.
Communities are afraid of helping the police for fear of reprisals from gang leaders. Every day another incident, another terrible story, another unsolved crime.
Arrests might be made, but then bail is granted, the court cases get postponed and delayed for months or even years.
Murderers, rapists, criminals and gangsters are roaming our streets while their cases wait for another court date!
That is the South Africa we live in.
MORE PROOF, JZ
Yet more reports on the ubiquitous relationships between high-ranking public officials, state-owned enterprises, and the awarding of huge contracts to suppliers, contractors and consultants.
Proof of communications between parties prior to strategic appointments; evidence of payments for air fares, accommodation and other incentives just before critical decisions are made; forged share certificates with spelling errors and even incorrect share prices are brought out in the open – and the persons involved still deny any wrong-doing!
SPORT IN THE LIMELIGHT
I am not going to worry about all these domestic things for the next few weeks, as sport will take over.
The Proteas get down to the task of trying to win their first ICC cricket trophy, the Springboks start their international rugby test series, the under-20 Springboks start their quest for the under-20 World Cup, the French Open clay tennis championship is ongoing and Wimbledon after that, The Open golf championship will start soon, the Super Rugby series reaches the final stages (and soccer has finished for a while, at last!).
APPOINTMENT PROCESS
The municipal manager appointment process is in the news again, now that the cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC has filed papers objecting to the process used to appoint Johann Mettler. The main objection seems to be the number and status of the members of the selection panel.
It seems this could easily be checked, so why go to court?
If the process was not in accordance with legal requirements it must be revoked and re-advertised.
Tony Wadsworth, Port Elizabeth