Superspar sny self gras ná klagtes

Monique Basson

Kouga Express, 29 Maart 2012

Elliot Bhadi en Johannes Niwa van SuperSpar het die bekende winkelrakke vir ’n tamaai grassnyer en randsnyer verruil en gaan voortaan op ’n gereelde basis die sypaadjies in Da Gamaweg sny.

Foto: Monique Basson

(Klik hier om foto te besigtig.)

DIE lang gras, wat menige stapper en drawwer se oefenroetine sedert einde verlede jaar pootjie, is uiteindelik iets van die verlede.

Nie net was dié hoë gras in Da Gamaweg ’n hindernisbaan vir diegene nie, maar dit het ook inwoners en vakansiegangers behoorlik die harnas in gejaag.

Die eienaar van SuperSpar in Jeffreysbaai, JP Venter, het verlede Dinsdag self ingespring en die gras op die sypaadjies in Da Gamaweg laat sny omdat die munisipalteit nie daarby uitkom nie.

Volgens Venter het die munisipaliteit die gras verlede jaar November laas gesny.

Venter het twee van sy getroue werkers, Elliot Bhadi en Johannes Niwa, toegerus met ’n industriële grassnyer en randsnyer, en die twee sal nou op ’n gereelde basis die gras in Da Gamaweg sny. Klik hier om verder te lees.

Council approves draft budget

Monique Basson

Kouga Express, 29 March 2012-03-30

THE Council yesterday approved a draft operating budget of just more than R517 million for 2012/2013 at a meeting in Jeffreys Bay.

This is R48,5-million or 10% more than the 2011/2012 adjustment bud-get of R468,5-million. The new financial year starts in July.

Kouga Executive Mayor Booi Koerat was applauded by the Council for giving a frank account of the municipality’s financial position before tabling the draft budget.

“When we came into Council last year, I don’t believe any of us had an idea of the dire financial situation facing the municipality. There were serious cash-flow problems due to, among other things, declining collection rates and historic expenditure patterns,” he reported to Council,” said Koerat.

“Over the past ten months we have started doing things smarter. A full financial recovery plan is in place and we are already seeing positive results.” Click here to read more.

Geen wysigings aan Grondwet?

RSG-nuusbulletin, 06:00, 29 Maart 2012

Die Minister in die Presidensie, Trevor Manuel, sê Suid-Afrikaners behoort nooit veranderings en wysigings aan die Grondwet te vrees nie.

Hy het in Soweto gesê 'n lid van die ANC se Nasionale Uitvoerende Komitee, Cyril Ramaphosa, het onlangs 'n belangrike punt gemaak toe hy gesê het die Grondwet is veilig.

Die DA se Jeugvleuel het vroeër die week 'n sitstaking by Konstitusie-heuwel in Johannesburg gehou, en 'n plakkaat onthul waarop die Grondwet verbrand word. Klik hier om plakkaat te besigtig.

Volgens die DA se Jeugleier, Makashule Gana, was die sitstaking en plakkaat daarop gemik om die huidige bedreigings teen die Grondwet uit te lig.

Voorafbetaalde elektrisiteitsmeters vir die Kouga?

Tshifiwa Shonisani

The Citizen, 29 March 2011

PRETORIA  - The City of Tshwane will soon introduce a by-law to make prepaid electricity meter box compulsory for all residents, Executive Mayor Sputla Ramokgopa said in Pretoria yesterday.

With the prepaid electricity boxes, the city wants to clampdown on residents who do not pay for  services by blocking defaulters’ cards from buying units of electricity.

The city also intends to tackle the problem of the billing system, overcome loss of revenue and secure its financial position.

In his State of the City address, Ramokgopa said the prepaid initiative  will be launched during the 2012/13 Medium-Term Revenue Expenditure Framework.

“It entails a full roll-out of prepaid electricity meters throughout the city.

“This project will be enforceable by law,” he said. Click here to read more.

Japie Bosch, van Jeffreysbaai, lewer soos volg kommentaar op hierdie berig: “Is dit die oplossing vir Kouga ook?  Ek weet daar is ‘n paar groot geeste wat dit in beginsel ondersteun, maar ek kan nie onthou wie almal nie.  Al probleem is dat ‘n meter R600 kos (vier jaar gelede) plus installeringskoste.  Nie almal kan dit bekostig nie.” 

This week's good news

Three ships voted world's best blended whisky

South Africa - the Good News

26 March 2012

For the first time ever a South African whisky has taken the title of World's Best Blended Whisky at the annual Whisky Magazine’s World Whisky Awards. The Three Ships 5- year-old impressed the judges to such an extent that they awarded it the overall award in the Blended Whisky category at the annual selection of the very best whiskies internationally.

More than 300 whiskies were tasted blind in three intensive rounds by an independent panel of judges that included some of the foremost whisky palates internationally. Click here to read more.  

One of the reasons why the DA deserves the support of all South Africans



In THEIR future the Constitution will reign supreme

(Copied from DA Youth facebook. Click here to view.)



 

Criticism in a healthy democracy

Barry Vosloo

 

One of the local DA councillors recently accused the writer of this report of “attempts to undermine” the DA. Moreover, he said that these efforts “only serve to strengthen the ANC.”

It is difficult to understand how on earth mild criticism of the Kouga DA for not effectively communicating with its supporters, can destabilise their opposition of the local ANC.

Perhaps the councillor should to take note of what Prof. Brian Martin of the University of Wollongong, Australia, has to say about protest/criticism in a liberal democracy: “Groups have various ways to limit the effectiveness of challengers, including promoting a narrow conception of 'acceptable protest'. Far from destabilising democracy, protest has been instrumental in forcing the introduction of most of the freedoms that now exist in liberal democracies.” Click here to read more.

To coin a phrase, therefore, criticism/protest is the lifeblood of a healthy democracy. The councillor and his cohort appear to be caught in a time warp. Their mind-set is disturbingly similar to that which prevailed in the bad old days of National Party rule. Remember when dissenters were demonized, harassed by the security police, thrown into jail or worse?