A leaf out of Zille’s book

I WAS in the Western Cape recently. There is a bi-weekly programme on the radio during which mayor Patricia de Lille and Premier Helen Zille make themselves available for two hours to answer questions to try to solve service delivery problems from the community.

Any matter that cannot be solved immediately is taken care of within a few days. That certainly helps to build a strong bond between the leadership and the community. Many people phone in to say a “big thank you”.

I met a family with water and electricity problems. Not only was the complaint attended to promptly, the service provider even phoned back to check “if everything was okay”.

The Western Cape is very active in turning the city “green”. Trees are being planted and I was informed that if you need a tree planted outside your property, the municipality will provide and plant the trees free of charge.

The only condition is that you look after them.

A few years ago, the president had a hotline whereby citizens could phone to complain about service delivery and other problems.

I do not know if the service exists any more – we do not hear anything about it. If what is happening is producing good results in the Western Cape, other provinces should feel free to do likewise.

The spilling of faeces at the Cape Town International Airport and municipal buildings, by an ANC councillor and his mates, was despicable. They are demanding bricked flush toilets. That cannot be done in an informal settlement.

I am shocked the ANC government has done nothing to discourage this kind of behaviour.

Just one thing about the Western Cape: do not go there in August. The rain pours, the wind howls and it is bitterly cold.