Editors views on issues affecting the public

I was so disappointed last week to learn that the cash-strapped Thaba Chweu Municipality had hired buses to ferry people to watch the Idols semi-finals and finals when it has been reported that its coffers are empty, yet they find money for fun.

It is strange, because when the young lad, Brenden Ledwaba of Graskop entered the competition, he never had their backing, but took the risk all on his own and made it to the top. All of a sudden the municipality has the audacity to say that the expenditure had been budgeted for in the mayor’s office, when the very mayor cannot even budget for the payment of Eskom’s overdue account, which runs into several millions of rand.

There have been threats of power cuts – but they still have such reserves for their chosen luxury? Supporting one of your own when he tops the country, required individuals to dig into their own pockets and vote for the youngster, which we all did.

Did it ever have to take taxpayers’ money for the municipality to show that they were fully in support of Brenden at the Idols? To take people to the final?

If that was a political stunt they were staging, why didn’t their organisation rally around the communities and urge them to support the lad fully, as they eventually did? Nobody rallied for support for Brenden except individuals who voted and constantly attended the various stages of the contest to the final. Now that he has attained glory, they want to claim a slice of the cake and claim to have contributed towards nurturing it?

No way, as there are no recreational facilities where this young lad lives – that’s pure, raw talent!