Editor – The DA is pleased that Dora Smith is recovering from her very unfortunate fall on the sidewalk in Francis Road. We wish her a full recovery.
This fall could very likely have been avoided had the municipality simply done the work they are required to do. This especially after the DA sent an e-mail to the municipal manager on May 28, some two and a half months ago, to request that the sidewalk be repaired. In that mail, the DA warned that there was a danger that an elderly resident would fall and be hurt.
Well, the municipal manager chose not to act to ensure that the pavement was immediately repaired. Sadly, the DA warning became reality and the victim of this lack of action has been Dora Smith.
The pavement has been in a terrible state and remains so. This terrible state of affairs has persisted for months and months, despite the pleas from Juana Maria and the DA.
We hope that this unfortunate and unnecessary incident will finally galvanise the municipality into doing the work they should be doing, instead of spending money on mayoral cars and bodyguards.
The DA believes that Mrs Smith must be compensated by the municipality for the costs of her injuries, as well as for her pain and suffering. Given that the DA wrote to the municipal manager to warn of the dangers some two months and more before Mrs Smith’s fall, we believe the costs payable to Mrs Smith by the municipality should be deducted from the very considerable salary paid to the municipal manager.
Alf Lees (Member of Parliament – Democratic Alliance)
