Here we are again, just a few days on and the situation in Hoedspruit Town warrants another letter expressing my dismay, concern, frustration, and to be quite frank about it – utter disbelief.
When I take a drive through Hoedspruit Town, of the many things that come to mind lately, there is one word, a fairly small word in its composition, yet profound in its meaning. The word that repeats itself is PRIDE. Now, you may think, awww, how lovely, she is happy to be driving through this lovely little town smiling with pride at everything she sees around her. Unfortunately you would not be correct, if fact, anything but! My use of the word PRIDE is the unbelievable lack of it around town:
Lack of PRIDE when it comes to the littering in and around the Town, it is a disgrace that the very people who are paid every month and mandated to keep the town clean, tidy and safe is the very same source of the current state of the town. It is bizarre and ironic that the payers of the rates and taxes end up being the ones who make a community plan, put their hands deep into their pockets and end up cleaning up that same mess!
Lack of PRIDE when it comes to spatial planning for the town and the ever increasing dis-jointed appearance of the area, lack of thought of permissions granted for new builds, lack of knowledge in considering potential hazards and consequences in poorly thought through permissions granted. Massive billboards of new developments coming into the town that people know nothing about. Disregard for existing residents, businesses, and visitors to the area and their experience, impressions, endurance, and tolerance of the situation.
Lack of PRIDE when it comes to the chaos of the splattered and scattered signage around the place! What on earth is the purpose? It is completely ineffective? Furthermore, on may there is no information on the sign of the location it is trying to promote? Seriously, how much money is being expended on these unsightly methods of promotion? Did these signs receive the necessary permissions to be erected in the first place? If they did, what has that money been used for within the public services? Can it be usefully applied to cut down those same signs?
Lack of PRIDE when one views the appalling squatter camp sites, yes, that is in plural, sites around the town. Sorry, let me pause on this one a little….. What year are we in? Do I really need to expand on this one …… How many of the drivers for change, for advancement, for fairer living would seriously not be turning in their graves at this disgraceful sign of the failings within society.
Lack of PRIDE as a result of failings to recruit, to train, to hold accountable, the various array of public service roles and responsibilities. Even if I dig deep to find my compassion cap, my wand of tolerance, understanding, and empathy. I am sorry, there is no cap I can find that will cover my face and give me the intense level of opaqueness needed to hide away the shameful deprivation of our public service facilities all around us, crumbling, literally around us.
Lack of PRIDE in oneself to even make an effort to turn up to work on time, to open the office that honest hard working people pay to maintain and in good faith, continue to pay or even hope that one day this will change.
Lack of PRIDE in taking care of public service property, blatant mis-use of vehicles, position of office, public appointments, preparation for meetings, responding to public requests, providing a good and fair service to its customers who happen to be the same people that contribute to the payment of their salaries.
The recent pictures of the ‘permission questionable’ new build of an appalling structure in the middle of the town still under construction, now showing an amazing scope of versatility by being an open laundry, Yes, a laundry I say as the workmen clearly live on site and do their dirty washing in public. Now, in my day, doing dirty laundry in public was an expression of purpose and one of retribution. These days in The Hoed, it is a literal occurrence and one which appears to carry no shame! Really? With millions being spent to promote and push tourism to a new level within South Africa, we have international and local tourist driving through The Hoed and seeing this! What kind of ‘Gateway to Safari’! What impression for someone who saved long and hard to achieve their ‘bucket list’ destination/experience! What a great impression for a visitor to take back with them to their country and recount to so many!
Lastly, the debacle with the Election Stations. Seriously, a shambles of disgrace. Serious health and safety failings from our Public Services in providing safe places for the nation to vote. This is the same public representatives that had to fight for the right to vote in the first place and now, look at the level of contempt that is held by the same office bearers of the flag that everyone should be able to hold way up high at the very spaces where people should walk into with PRIDE to cast their vote for the future. Instead, people were nearly breaking their necks manoeuvring through the obstacles and hazards placed in their way, as if placed with intention.
There is a public meeting called for Wednesday February 6 as a result of the ever increasing concerns within the town and area.
The venue: The White Rhino Hall, Rhino Convention Centre, Nr. Wildlife Estate, Hoedspruit. 17:30 for 18:00 start.
This is the chance for the community of Hoedspruit to come forward in a constructive yet purposeful way to collate everything they may have a concern about, an issue with, and/or have some positive and constructive suggestions and solutions on a way forward to solve, resolve, provide interim, permanent, short-term or long-term conclusions.
It is the opportunity for the town folk to unite in their thoughts, their aspirations for the town and their future and through this engagement to present their Community Action Plan for implementation. With agreement and clarity on the priorities to move forward with some urgency to identify the immediate (short-term), mid-term actions and to be realistic and clear about the longer term interventions required, but to make sure an agreed plan of action is derived from the consensus. Clearly this will mean the town folk are part of the journey for change – can no longer be the bystanders with so much to say behind a keyboard in their lounge. No, this is the time to stand up, raise your hand and ask to be heard and being allowed to be part of the change you aspire to witness.
Only through these type of interactions of unity can an approach be presented to the public service office holders for the way forward, the start to begin the process of correction or, being realistic. The usual channels of engagement have been completed exhausted. We, the people of the town have an obligation to present this dossier to our municipal representatives and present our final attempt to engage and assist in a way forward to begin breaking down the hurdles preventing our town and surrounding area from growth, from providing jobs and opportunities for everyone, for providing a future of opportunity for our children and their children.
There is no reason why we cannot do this together as one community. However, if that door remains firmly shut, then the opportunity for the community to do what Hoedies do very well, that is to build their own door of opportunity, make it tall, make it strong, make it durable to weather all storms.
Make the door to be the ‘gateway’ of renewed PRIDE, a welcoming approach to this town and area of unbridled advancement, growth and potential. A town where we can all feel proud of, something we build together as one community united and purposeful. Let us put Hoedspruit and the greater area firmly on the national and international map as the “Gateway to Safari and Eco-Tourism”.
As a great man once said “It always seems impossible until it’s done” (Nelson Mandela)
Maxine Smith
Personal thoughts (not representative of any organisation, or authority).
