HOW TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED
ANIMAL welfare organisations need help during the lockdown:
PAWFECT NATION is trying to get food to feeders in areas not close to supplies, or who cannot afford the food. Bulk food donations will be delivered for distribution.
Pawfect Nation feeds feral and stray animals not in shelters. It needs bags, cans or pouches of cat and dog food. If you can help, please email info@pawfectnation.org.za
DURBAN AND COASTAL SPCA, AND KLOOF SPCA need help to make up
for the funds lost during hard lockdown when fundraising events and charity/thrift shops were closed.
Please consider donating unwanted items to them. Here are the details to make donations:
◆ KLOOF & HIGHWAY SPCA
First National Bank, Account Number: 50730485741, Branch code: 221526 Type: Cheque Account.
Village Green is open every Tuesday to Saturday, the last Sunday of the month and all public holidays (except religious), from 8am-3pm at 29 Village Road, Kloof.
Thrift shops at The Junction Centre, Inanda Road (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 8am-1pm); Maytime on Charles Way, Kloof (Mon-Frid 8.30am-5pm, Sat 8.30am-1pm); Uniland Centre, Pinetown (Mon-Fri 8am5pm, Sat 8am-1pm). Visit kloofspca.co.za for details.
◆ SPCA DURBAN & COAST
First National Bank, Branch code: 220226 Account Number: 62238932893, Account name: SPCA Durban.
Visit spcadbn.org.za for details, or to shop online. They also have a charity shop at La Lucia Mall. Open Mon to Sat 9am5pm and Sun 9am-3pm.
ANIMAL ANTI-CRUELTY LEAGUE
Standard Bank, Account number: 051350521, Branch: Durban North Code: 042826. Website: aacl.co.za/ branches-durban
CENTRE FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE (Crow)
First National Bank. Acc: 50770230859 Branch Code: 222126,
Wishlist for all the items needed at the centre: https://bit.ly/2NZAnyV or Donate to the Covid-19 relief fund at https://www.givengain.com/cc/crowcovid19-relief-fund/
CATS OF DURBAN
Standard Bank, Account Number:
056 592 523, Branch code: 042526 Website: https://catsofdurban.wixsite.com/ catsofdurban/donate
IN what has been hailed as the end of an era, the wheels of one of South Africa’s most recognised bus companies have stopped turning, with no chance of a resurrection.
After 37 years, the Greyhound bus company will cease to exist tomorrow and will discontinue passenger transport services on Monday.
The company has been operating since 1984 and has transported more than 25 million South Africans to various destinations across the country, for work or play.
In the past five years Greyhound and Citiliner have been ferrying an average of 1.2 million passengers a year, but even those impressive figures were not enough to keep the cogs turning.
Greyhound spokesperson Jasen Smallbone said: “Declining passenger numbers and poor regulatory compliance in the bus passenger industry has resulted in both brands incurring significant operating losses for several years.
“The impact of the Covid-19 regulations limiting inter-provincial travel and coach occupancy levels, and the closure of the Zimbabwe and Mozambique borders, have exacerbated the situation,” he said.
The company said despite a number of management actions taken to reduce operating costs, optimise routes and introduce new technology and coaches, the operations were unable to return to profitability. In addition, it was unsuccessful in its attempts to sell the Greyhound and Citiliner operations.
Smallbone would not be drawn into how many employees would lose their jobs and added that the company was consulting with all the affected stakeholders in contemplation of closing the business.
Social media was abuzz when news of the closure of the company hit the headlines, with South Africans reflecting on the last 37 years, the good, the bad and the ugly.
Hlanganani Hector Prince Ndlela said: “Greyhound Greyhound Greyhound Greyhound we need you please come back to our roads.”
Bongeka Pon-Ponie Deyi-MaDlamini said: “My travels back to EC will never be the same again. Thank you.”
Nomvelo Mkhulisi Dyasi said: “If I was a billionaire, I would rescue Greyhound. This bus was my first choice when I was travelling long distances. Not even a single time I experienced a bad service.”
John Mashambe said: “If such big companies are winding up, what do we expect of smaller ones. Loss of employment is the great concern in this case.”
But it was not all praise for the bus giant, with Edna van der Merwe saying: “This is such a bad service ... waiting since 10.30 for the bus in Knysna and only one message to say they are delayed… not one update since!!”
Kgaladi Salome Masenya said: “Yesterday was my worst travel experience ever from Polokwane Savanna mall to Pretoria station. Firstly, there was no sanitiser on the bus. And the driver did not sanitise and yet we exchanged tickets and he was the only one packing our luggage.”
Khomi Agnecia Seerane said: “I’m really disappointed with Greyhound. I made a booking from Secunda to Durban, paid R403.75; there’s no social distancing however when I left Durban there was. I got into the bus, the driver told me my reserved seat is taken. I’m really disappointed.”
Dineo Mathatho said: “My kids travelled from Cape Town to Welkom last night on the dreamliner. It was a horrible experience for them, the bus had so many cockroaches! Will certainly never travel with you guys.”
See box below for how to go about having your payment for booked tickets refunded.