EDITOR – I respond to your editorial on public participation in ward committees, published in the Sun dated 21 October.
While I fully support your call for citizens to become directly involved in community affairs, I find the comment directed at Cllr Andre Beetge quite inappropriate. I quote:
“However, if ward 97 councillor Andre Beetge is to be believed, the structure (ward committee) was used as more of a political football in the last term of governance.”
This unfortunate turn of phrase seems to imply Cllr Beetge is being untruthful and should not be believed. I doubt that this was the Sun’s intention but that’s what it sounds like.
Fact is, Cllr Beetge is 100% correct. The ward committee has indeed been used as a ‘political football’. This is a matter of record. The matter has also been addressed in the South Coast Sun and on Facebook on a number of occasions.
But this should come as no surprise. After all, the Durban City Council is used as an ideological and political football in the course of its daily activities. Given that the council controls the ward committee, the same is likely to apply.
So, if the good citizens of ward 97 want to counter the abuse of their ward committee and keep the bogeyman at bay, they best get involved, chop chop. No use crying around the braai fire, after the event.
JEFF VAN BELKUM
