Law gets them off hook

Mmusi Maimane’s patronising op-ed refers (“Election is a chance to change the party system for direct democracy”, September 22.)

Every aspirant town councillor undertakes that after the election they will create employment, fill the potholes, ensure freeloaders with illegal electrical connections pay the correct charges, and generally wave a magic wand to bring about perfection.

Yet newly elected councillors will encounter the same problem current councillors face.

For example, if a roads gang supervisor is instructed to fill potholes, are he and his gang going to jump to it with alacrity? Or, much more likely, scratch about one or two potholes and then break to boil up tea, and then break for lunch, and then boil up afternoon tea?

Any action taken against these “workmen” is required to be in terms of the Labour Relations Act, and all the other detrimental laws governing employment. Until the foreman and his gang members are no longer feather-bedded by the Labour Relations Act and similar socialistic legislation, there will never be any delivery, service or otherwise, and aspirant councillors can promise a blue moon but it won’t happen.

Errol Callaghan Goodwood