For years we used to run an annual April Fool’s Day story on April 1 – you know, a spoof story so unlikely that you’d be a fool to believe it.
There were some good ones, like Robert Mugabe’s plans to build a house at Clarke Bay, the jetski marina at Salmon Bay and the coastal road through Zimbali Estate.
It was a time-honoured media tradition to introduce a little levity into the very serious daily news cycle. But in truth it is a eurocentric tradition that hasn’t survived the birth of modern communication and news dissemination.
Some readers became quite upset that we were pulling their legs, or taking advantage of their gullibility. It has also become harder to separate truth from fiction.
On any day of the year you can pick up a paper and find several stories that stretch credulity to the utmost.
So the practice had fallen by the wayside somewhat. One memorable April Fool’s story was titled Teazers for Geezers, about the sale of the municipal offices in Salt Rock and their conversion into a strip club for the over-60s.
But the truth wasn’t nearly as interesting and those offices became the local branch of the municipal traffic licencing department.
It was very convenient to be able to conduct that business here instead of making the trip to Stanger.
Over the past 2 years in particular, it was also the source of some frustration because whenever one of the staff contracted Covid-19, they would close its doors for 2 weeks.
Many fellow residents believed these shutdowns were nothing more than an excuse for a little paid holiday.
Perhaps that was a little unfair, but I also wonder if there wasn’t another reason?
Last week its doors shut for good because somebody decided the building was unsafe for human habitation. The plan is to move the traffic staff to the Ballito offices in Leonora Drive.
But a few days before they closed, a sharp-eyed member of our staff spotted an extraordinary sign in the corridor. It read: “All employees are discouraged from making physical contact (hanshakes, hugging and kissing)” – It was there for all to see, spelling error and all.
Note that it wasn’t directed at the public, who could go on with their usual habit of handshaking, hugging and kissing. Also note that this activity wasn’t outright banned, merely ‘discouraged’.
If you had the impression that government work was boring, you might have to review that. Perhaps if they spent their days shaking hands, hugging and kissing, it explains why they had to shut down for Covid so often!
When the licencing department makes the move to Ballito, I wonder if the sign will move as well? We will keep you informed!
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