What a slap in the face

Reading the front-page report “When Doves Cry: Vandals Steal Multicultural Man’s Flock” (DD Nov 16) about the vandalism of the monument on East London’s beachfront immediately reminds one that a security analysis of BCM’S assets was called for some seven years ago, even before the term of the previous council.

Despite frequent requests by opposition parties in council, the Anc-led administration has still, to this day, failed to provide such a report.

One wonders why!

Surely an administration serious about protecting its assets would be able to produce such a report within seven years.

And then to suggest that it might never be restored, implying that the R200,000 cost mentioned may well be beyond the financial resources of the municipality, is quite disingenuous when it is known that a number of the current ANC councillors will be attending their party’s elective conference at Nasrec next month — not a cheap exercise.

This surely suggests that their party activities take precedence over the proper administration of the municipality and the safeguarding of its assets.

Given that each ward had R1m budgeted for community projects, surely it would be a worthwhile use of such funds to pay the R200,000 to repair the damaged statue.

Yet, it seems that even these funds are not forthcoming. Given its role in donating and installing the monument, what a slap in the face this must feel like to the Italian community in Buffalo City.

How mayor Xola Pakati and his ANC colleagues have mismanaged their responsibilities in safeguarding BCM’S assets. — Bill Gould, Southernwood