Two Bits – March 13

The new mega-mall that the Ballito Junction will become is not to everybody’s liking, judging from the comments posted on our Facebook site. Many sympathised with the feeling of “Oh God, there goes our peace and quiet, it’s time to move north to Mtunzini.”

At 60 000 sqm it will be twice the size of the Lifestyle Centre, but a quarter of Gateway. The investment of R1.4 billion is a huge show of confidence in the town and the region.

I can only think that those against the development are those who live here but work elsewhere. They enjoy coming home to a quiet haven. But for those whose livelihoods depend on the fortunes of our little dorp, it’s got to be a shot in the arm.

It is true that such a big development is going to put enormous strain on existing infrasturcture. Well, thank goodness the main road into town is nearing completion, but what of water and electricity? The chaps in the municipal planning department (ha, ha, local joke) had better dust off their thinking caps.

Problem with the roads as they are, is that the bulk of the traffic is funnelled towards the M4/Ballito Drive intersection, the one between Lifestyle, Junction and Tourist info centre/ taxi rank. As we well know from the end of last year, if anything happens to disrupt that intersection, traffic becomes gridlocked.

Reader Stanley Woxholt comments that a possible solution would be to extend Moffat Drive (near the gym) across the valley to Simbithi Drive (near the old torn down Dolphin Coast Mall) so as to provide three possible entrances to the centre and a bypass around Ballito Drive and the M4 intersection.

He also suggests that to relieve pressure on the M4 intersection at The Well, particularly when the Ashton SUV moms’ brigade is arriving or leaving, the road past the hospital be extended up over the hill to link up with the traffic circle at the BP service station. I’m not sure how that would be achieved as there’s a couple of office blocks in the way, but it’s a thought to relieving congestion.

As a longtime resident of the town and lover of the village atmosphere Ballito used to have, I can understand why some want to keep the march of civilisation at bay. But I would much rather be in a growing area than a dying one. More jobs, more opportunities for service industries, more income for the municipality, more advertising for the Courier . . . the list goes on and on! I welcome it.

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The fire at Crocodile Creek last week raised some interesting questions. In a nutshell, there was a fire at the house of owner Peter Watson, which is next to the N2, about halfway between Ballito and the Tongaat River.

When he phoned Tongaat fire brigade, they said no, you’re outside our area. Phone Ballito. So he did, and as it happens they had already sent a fire engine out to attend to a reported grass fire on the N2. When they got there, the firemen realised that the fire was actually at Croc Creek, so they drove on to the Tongaat toll plaza, intending to leave the toll road there and double back through Maidstone to get to Watson’s place.

Well, when they got to the toll gate none of the firemen had any cash on them, so the toll operator refused to let the fire engine through! Can you believe it? So they turned around, drove back to the Ballito offramp, back to the R102 and from there to Maidstone and Croc Ceek. By the time they got there the house was ashes.

So I made a couple of phone calls. First to Ethekwini northern region fire commander Raj Sewsunker, who insists that his area of operation ends at the Tongaat River. That doesn’t make sense for a couple of reasons: the suburbs of Maidstone, Fairbreeze and Sandifields are north of the river, but are within the northern region. Secondly, the Metro map available on the Internet shows a big chunk of land between the river and Zimbali Lakes development area as being within the Metro.

So I think he’s mistaken there. But I have been unable to contact him since as he is always in meetings. And the Durban Metro press officer doesn’t deign to answer emails, but I’ll keep trying.

Furthermore, Peter Watson tells me he pays rates to Durban Metro. Surely he is then entitled to help from emergency services?

The next call was to Ben Reddy, manager of the Tongaat toll plaza. Fairly simple. He said sure, emergency vehicles are allowed through without charge, but their office had to phone ahead to get permission from him. As I’ve related, the firemen ended up at the toll booth by accident, so they hadn’t thought to get permission beforehand. Obviously a big red truck with flashing lights and firemen hanging off the side doesn’t impress them. Otherwise we’d all drive around in fire trucks to avoid paying toll fees, wouldn’t we?

Finally I called Devan Govender, commander of the fire station here in Ballito. He explained how they’d first thought it was a grass fire and had responded because the N2 north of the Tongaat River is their responsibility. Then how they’d ended up at the toll plaza and decided to turn around, even though they’re within their rights to drive straight through the barrier, with or without permission.

He was quite refreshing. They’d helped Watson because “it is our duty to respond where there is a threat to life”, he said.

As far as he is aware, Crocodile Creek falls within the Metro area, but they went to help because Watson was obviously desperate.

“Our duty is to protect and serve. We respond first and sort out the matter of areas and where he pays rates to later,” Govender said.

I like that attitude. We know the emergency services we have are fantastic beyond words and this is further proof of it.

But I still want an answer from Durban as to why they won’t service one of their paying customers.

Perhaps Watson ought to send them one of his crocodiles to keep them jumping!

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Here’s one from Farmer’s Weekly:-

Stan goes into town and finds that the postal strike is over.

“Bills, bills, bills! Oh how I miss the post strike. I didn’t see a bill for four months,” he moans.

His mate Fanie says “Don’t worry, Stan, you can look forward to another strike next year.”

“No boet,” says Stan, “they’ve got a plan to end the postal strike for good.”

“Really? How?” asks Fanie.

“Simple. They’ve told postal workers that in future their salary cheques will be posted to them.”