State of beach shows lack of city care

I AM appalled at the state of our Durban beach. The municipality claims that Durban and its beaches are the best in Africa – my foot!

Durban has the best weather and beaches, that’s true, but it is not respected by a large number of its citizens, who frequent the beach for booze parties that are held in the parking areas that run from Saturday to the early hours of the Sunday.

I thought loud music, drinking and littering were prohibited in public. These revellers have no respect for our city. They just throw their empty bottles, packets, boxes and other rubbish everywhere but in the refuse bins provided by the city.

These people who trash our beachfront do not care, because I guess they have not learnt manners and respect from their parents at home. That kind of behaviour and mindset we cannot change.

However, I think the municipality has failed in every aspect of taking care of our city and its recreational facilities.

This past weekend, all the ablution facilities were closed to the public. When I spoke to one of the municipal workers, he explained to me that they were not getting paid for the weekends, and worst still, that there were no lifeguards on duty for the same reason.

As I walked along the promenade, I noticed that all the facilities were shut and people were lined up outside not knowing what the situation was.

Furthermore, I saw many people urinating on the side of the promenade, with one child defecating in the nearby bush.

The municipality needs to get its act together and come to some agreement regarding remuneration with its workers.

The problem with the Durban municipality is that they are too busy using taxpayers’ money for events like Top Gear, the Metro FM Awards, SABC Gospel Awards, soap operas awards and the failed Bollywood SAIFTA Awards Function.

These events do nothing for the citizens of Durban. They are attended by the rich and famous, and with all the municipal councillors attending the function with their entire families free of charge and any other functions where free food, booze and partying are in abundance, courtesy of the taxpayer.

Recently in the media, the mayor and his councillors were posing with bicycles, promoting and encouraging a healthy living and cost saving lifestyle. What a load of manure. All these councillors have the top-of-the-range 4x4 vehicles that you would see parked in the city hall parking lot. I am sure they have more vehicles at home, considering their appetite for parties, food, and affluent lifestyles.

To the mayor and his troupe – get your act together, put your money were your mouth is, when you go around preaching to the poor on how to conserve and make the environment a safe place.

I K SINGH

Durban

Beach was a cesspool of filth

SO MANY positive reports there are in connection with this city which we love. This morning was different. The beach for over a kilometre, from the Suncoast Casino towards Blue Lagoon, was a cesspool of filth.

What do you imagine the vistors think of that? At 8.30am and no attempt at a clean-up and the weekend is here.

What excuse can there be? Lazy, disorganised excuse for a metro – where is the organisation?

B CALDERWOOD

Kloof

Off the mark about Zuma’s role in peace

I AGREE with Dumisani Hlophe about President Jacob Zuma’s leadership style having been indelibly influenced by his role in the ANC’s underground intelligence arm (The Mercury, March 9, 2015).

However, like so many others, Hlophe’s take on Zuma’s role in working for peace in KwaZulu-Natal is a gross oversimplification. As the ANC’s provincial leader, he enjoyed a close working relationship with the IFP, but press reports at the time make it clear that the ANC national leadership, especially Nelson Man- dela and Thabo Mbeki, was deeply involved in negotiations around peace. These negotiations appear to have had little impact on the ground, as the violence, especially in the North Coast and lower South Coast areas, continued unabated.

It was the work of a crack detective team under then Captain Mandla Vilakazi that brought North Coast violence levels down significantly with the conviction of perpetrators (who, according to court evidence, were assisted by police members).

The Shobashobane massacre and the inquiry that followed it also suggested police collusion, and three key warlords were killed.

Then there was the Richmond violence rooted in intra-ANC conflict (again with alleged police collusion), the truth of which has not been revealed.

There is nothing wrong with talking peace, but it is only when the criminal justice system works that it is allowed to take root.

MARY DE HAAS

Durban

Turning a blind eye to illegal dumping

A GROUP of truck owners and business people are destroying the environment near Riverview Road in Ottawa on the North Coast, but yet the eThekwini Municipality is doing nothing or very little.

Since earlier this month a number of trucks have been driving through Munn Road, entering Riverview Road and dumping rocks and stones at the end of the road.

I visited the site while this was taking place and was informed that the trucks were carting the stones from Cornubia and dumping them on the vacant site.

When I tried to find out who was responsible for the illegal dumping, one of the drivers told me: “Just wait, the person responsible is com- ing just now and you can speak to him.”

I waited for some time, but the “man responsible” did not show up.

What is shocking is that the environment in this area is being destroyed through the “don’t care” attitude of the municipality and trucking contractors. Is there anyone checking on this illegal dumping and any action being taken to preserve our environment?

This is yet another illegal dumping action that is being committed by trucking contractors. For sometime another truck owner has been dumping them on a property in Riverview Road. This truck owner has covered a huge part of the river with sand. This action was also brought to the attention of the municipality, but there seems to have been nothing done.

Then there’s a businessman who has covered a part of the river near the Ottawa bridge with sand and built a business on the site.

This river, which has been the lifeblood of residents for many years, has now been destroyed with illegal dumping by trucking contractors and business people.

It’s not only the illegal dumpers who are destroying our environment, but also the lack of action by the municipality to clean up the litter and filth on the roads and streets of Ottawa, Verulam, Tongaat, KwaMashu, Inanda, Phoenix, and other areas. What’s the reason for allowing these areas to degenerate? Yet the same municipality sends scores of workers to clean up certain wealthy suburbs on a daily basis.

I have written to the city and have asked for an explanation.

I received the following response: “Dear Customer, kindly be advised that your query is being forwarded to the relevant department for their attention and direct response. Kind regards. Revenue Correspondence.”

SUBRY GOVENDER

Durban