If only banks were as helpful as supermarket managers
De Lille saga is damaging the DA
THE Western Cape High Court ruling on Tuesday in the Patricia de Lille vs Democratic Alliance (DA) matter has become largely humiliating for the party and exacerbates a general feeling that the DA is doing itself no favours in this saga.
That the court ruled in favour of De Lille, in terms of suspending her cessation of membership by the DA and thus allowing her to return as mayor of the City of
Cape Town – albeit on an interim basis – has to sound rather ominous alarm bells.
This matter is destined to damage the DA as they become almost impatient and condescending in their approach as regards to De Lille.
What is of concern to me and those who once supported the DA, and those whose disillusionment with the party is on an irretrievable increase, is the fact the De Lille requested open court in terms of her disciplinary hearing.
The DA, which unambiguously boasts of “openness”, “transparency” and “accountability” missed a great opportunity to walk their talk and allow a hearing that was open to the public as requested by De Lille.
Evidently, both parties had “nothing to hide”, and it would not only have made for intrigue, but it would have shown to the public that the DA means what it says, and is not simply blowing hot political rhetoric to lure the unsuspecting.
After all, the DA uses public platforms to entice support during vote harvesting season, so it would follow that the public would have a vested interest in a very high profile matter such as this – and by not allowing it open to the public, “accountability” and “transparency” become words of futility.
The DA made applications to courts to have matters televised claiming it was in the interest of the public. So how different is this? One cannot preach one thing and practise quite the opposite and not expect people to notice.
The state of disquietude in the DA has become palpable, and if they believe they are going to depurate the party of the “De
Lille virus” that hangs like the Sword of Democles over the
DA as this doleful saga goes on, then I am afraid they might have underestimated De Lille.
It may well be a case in the end of, “it ain’t over till the PAC lady sings” and the incubus that De Lille has become to the DA, will surely haunt it in the foreseeable future.
NARENDH GANESH Durban North
HOW can we help you?
I pondered these words as, for the twentieth time in less than an hour, and duly instructed by the voice of an android, I keyed in my identity number.
There followed a merry chase as I complied with further instructions to “press one for this... press two for that… press three for a bit of the other…”.
I was, if you hadn’t already guessed, trying to obtain from my bank the answer to a very simple question: where is my card?
Four words of one syllable. But they had my bank flummoxed.
My voyage of discovery started when I foolishly attempted to telephone my local branch. The number listed in the current Telkom directory is incorrect anyway, but that is of academic interest, given that branches no longer take calls from customers, who are expected to present themselves in person.
Those unable, or unwilling, to undertake a possibly long and costly journey must deal with the call centre.
My debit card was about to expire and I needed to know the whereabouts of its replacement.
A succession of alleged consultants threatened to put me through to somebody else (why?) but all such efforts failed and I ended up back with the original recording: “Please key in your identity number…”.
Eventually somebody gave me the name of the courier which would be delivering the new card and I duly spoke to them – only to discover it wasn’t them after all.
Back to the call centre. Another courier was then identified and, upon asking them for a delivery date they said: “Next Tuesday. No, better make that Wednesday. Sorry, it will be Thursday.”
And the approximate time? “Between 8am and 4pm,” they said breezily.
Suffice it to say that the fur then started flying in earnest, but I did eventually receive my new card, under cover of a letter promising that it would be automatically activated “within 48 hours”.
Needless to say it wasn’t, as I discovered some days later when the card was declined – three times – at my local supermarket checkout counter.
I explained the position to the manager while a queue of people behind me shook their heads and muttered, “a likely story”.
The manager, to his eternal credit, then produced his own, personal card and paid my R450 bill in full.
Thank you, sir. You are a gentleman.
The debt was repaid the following day, but the manager’s actions embody all the qualities lacking in the conduct of my bank.
How can we help you? Let me count the ways...
JOHN GARDENER
Howick