For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
Water minister Lindiwe Sisulu wants R90 billion to fix the country’s water problems, but one wonders if there had been a little more attention to the small things when they mattered, the problem might not be so insurmountable.
The South Coast tourism industry is in tatters because district municipalities have failed to pay attention to renewing infrastructure. There is plenty of water in the dams, but the pipes are rotten and the reservoirs are often empty. Some areas go without water for two or three weeks at a stretch.
Closer to home, when we experienced water shortages in 2015 because Hazelmere dam ran dry, it was agreed to raise the dam wall by seven metres, doubling the capacity. Whenever the government spoke about the project, the public was assured that all was on track. But the truth was the project stalled and the contractors quit because they weren’t paid. Where had the money gone? Nobody knows. Diverted into other projects, diverted into pockets, who knows.
I’ll tell you one thing – thank your lucky stars we have Siza Water watching our backs. More precisely, thank the wise gentlemen on the previous Dolphin Coast council for deciding to privatise the water supply. People complain about their tariffs but that’s nothing compared to having no water at all.
That other old English saying, “A stitch in time saves nine,” might be appropriate here!
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Now Sisulu says the department’s in a mess and blames her predecessor. Wazzin’ me.
Wouldn’t it be a thing if politicians were held accountable for their mistakes? Couldn’t happen in a million years, but imagine how things might straighten up.
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Tongaat Hulett’s new boss man, Gavin Hudson, has thrown down the gauntlet by announcing he will be suing the company’s previous executives for return of their performance bonuses. An investigation has shown that property and sugar sales here and in Zimbabwe were subjected to some Chinese accounting, misstating profits and so paying out handsome bonuses. Hudson has named the executives and says he wants the money back. He’s saying it happened on their watch and they should have known better.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the practice isn’t widespread, but when the economy is in the state it is, a low tide leaves ugly truths high and dry.
Wouldn’t it be a thing if politicians were treated the same way? You want to be a politician and live off the fat of the land, that’s fine, but you have to take some responsibility for your actions. When things go wrong, you pay.
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Christmas is nearly here. It is a time for family and especially for children. Who can forget the Christmases of one’s childhood, the excitement of waiting for presents and gathering together of the clan?
It is also a time to remember those who have no families. The orphans, the elderly and the abandoned. There are many organisations in our area – service clubs, charities and churches – that put in a special effort to bring cheer to them. They need your support, so as you go about your shopping, pop a toy into the collection points. The Orphan Fund has collection boxes at Lifestyle Superspar and OK Foods – The Edge. Every little bit goes a long way.
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To the mathematicians who thought of the idea of zero, thanks for nothing!
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