Hasn’t the municipality enough to do?

Referring to the article ‘Signage bylaws shake up business community’ (Courier, March 20), I don’t blame the business community for verbally abusing the KwaDukuza municipal officials.
This tells us that businesses are in total disagreement with the concept. The taxi rank is a disaster and waiting for an accident to happen, not to mention the inconvenience to everybody. Our boardwalk needs repairs and maintenance. The street and verges need trimming and cleaning. There are derelict buildings. They haven’t done anything about our worst blight, being crime. Hasn’t the municipality got enough here instead of starting a new project before they get called a “nothing has been done” municipality?
A councillor talks of an attempt to control “visual pollution” and she wants to see trees and the sea. The estate agents are limited to two signs? We have open spaces to see trees, and building regulations when views are transgressed etc.
KDM spokesperson Sifiso Zulu talks of providing “equal opportunities for business and giving regard to public safety and reasonable standards of appearance. Why you throw the book at the business people who are trying to make a living and create jobs? You have no room to talk if you have seen Ballito municipal buildings which have been an eyesore for far too long. A people’s municipality should work with the people and if a sign is not acceptable, let us fix it. The KDM had to scrap parking meters because they couldn’t control them. Now, why should we believe they are capable of controlling the signage revenue? Has there been a proper income and expenditure account done for signage and if so, it would show a deficit if properly costed out because of the enormous cost of policing, vehicles, staff, accounting etc.
It is obvious that business people have not been properly consulted. One can’t help thinking this is  another desperate attempt to get in some money.
FRANK DU TOIT
Ballito