THE WEEK IN WORDS
No police officer will die in vain; anyone who kills a police officer will be met with fire. I am not saying shoot to kill, but shoot back. You have guns, use them to protect yourselves and communities. – New Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula during a parade to mark his official welcome to the Police Ministry at the SAPS Academy in Pretoria West.
All those involved in the decision to appoint South West persist in defending what is now manifestly indefensible by trying to justify their conduct in order to avoid having to pay costs. Their responses fortify their failure and continuing refusal to be not only accountable and transparent but also remorseful for their manifestly inexplicable decision which renders them liable for costs. – Durban High Court Judge Dhaya Pillay rules that 16 eThekwini Municipality officials involved in awarding an R80 million tender are personally liable for the costs of court action.
The courts are gearing themselves up to award punitive costs against public administrative personnel in circumstances in which it is clear that there is either intentional wrongdoing or recklessness with public money. – Paul Hoffman, of the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa, comments on Judge Pillay’s ruling, calling it an “emerging trend” and a “welcome development”.
You can’t have a plan and keep it in the cupboard. It should be made available to the people. If one or more of the refineries were to explode, would the municipality only then start showing people the evacuation plan? How would it help then? What if the incident involves a toxic chemical or potentially heavier-than-air flammable gas release? People do not know what to do should this happen. – Desmond D’Sa, South Durban Community Environmental Alliance co-ordinator, raises questions about eThekwini Municipality emergency response plan after the recent three-day warehouse fire in Clairwood triggered safety questions from concerned residents.
The risk (of living in the South Durban Basin) is too high but to say the government won’t be able to act if called to do so is an exaggeration. In an ideal situation, if government would seek to relocate those people in that area they might be reluctant, citing their investment in their properties. – Lennox Mabaso, KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, on disaster management plans and emergency evacuation strategies.