TAKING A SWING FOR GOLF CLUBS
SOCIETY needs activists. We need vigilant people who keep a beady eye on those in power and protest loudly when they spot some naughtiness happening. That’s an important part of democracy and it’s a sad state of affairs when those in power feel they’re too important and powerful to listen to the voices of the protesters.
Sometimes, however, activists become a little too excited about one aspect of their cause and miss the bigger picture. The city council’s decision to extend the lease of a golf club for 10 years at a rental of R1000 a year was bound to have the activists bring out their protest banners and loud-hailers. That land could be used for affordable housing for the poor, they said. And of course they’re right. It could. Besides, there’s a strong emotional backdrop here.
Golf equals rich people; affordable housing equals poor people. Down with the fat-cat rich. They play golf while the poor starve.
From the city’s viewpoint things may look slightly different. Experience has shown that “affordable
housing” can be a costly project.
Many poor people can’t afford (or simply refuse) to pay their rates or electricity bills, but they do expect street lights, running water and rubbish collections. It usually costs the city more to service a poor area than it does to keep an affluent area running. A golf club, on the other hand will probably pay its electricity bill promptly and use recycled “grey water” to keep the greens and fairways looking lush.
More importantly, it will provide employment to several hundred people when unemployment is one of the country’s greatest problems.
Golf clubs employ greenkeepers, caddies, bookkeepers, waiters, barmen, cooks, cleaners and maintenance people. I would guess that a popular golf club supports about 100 families.
At R1000 a year that doesn’t seem like such a bad deal. When those golf club employees go home they have probably earned enough to pay their rates and electricity bills, and have a little left over to pay their kids’ school fees.
Unfair as it may seem, I think a golf club injects money into a city’s coffers, whereas affordable housing is usually a financial drain on limited resources. Unlike our “state-owned enterprises”, golf clubs cannot afford to employ incompetent buffoons simply because they’re relatives of the minister’s third wife or donate to the party funds. Golf clubs employ people for their ability to do a good job. Maybe the people who run our country should join golf clubs if only to see how to make things work successfully.
Last Laugh
As the audience was leaving the theatre, a timid little fellow tapped the arm of a big man who had been sitting next to him. “What?” barked the big chap impatiently. “Excuse me sir,” the little fellow said apologetically, “you don’t happen to be Herbert Stringfellow do you?” “No, I’m not,” he growled. “What’s it to you?” “Well, I am Herbert Stringfellow, you see,” came the timid reply, “and that’s his umbrella you’ve picked up.”