Two Bits

Whatever clever interpretation is put on the outcome of the 2016 local government elections, it is fair to say that the people have spoken: they want less African National Congress corruption and more Democratic Alliance honesty, plus a dash of EFF fire.
I believe that the people are tired of being fooled: tired of the corrupt practices that have led to their being cheated out of their fair share of decent services. And they have seen how much better-run DA municipalities are, and want some for themselves.
Twenty years ago the ANC was going to rule until Jesus comes. With the majority of the people’s enthusiastic support, it was going to lead SA into a new era, filled with promise and equality for all. Instead, what we have seen is a slow motion re-run of Animal Farm as spelled out by George Orwell – the leaders keeping the best for themselves while the common people eat crusts.
President Zuma’s urging of a vote for the ANC because the ancestors would know if they did not, was a bad move that underestimated the intelligence of the urban black voter. The remark ensured that the ANC became the rural party.
Nkandlagate, the Guptas’ stranglehold on Zuma and the swaggering arrogance of many party leaders, right down to local level, have played their part in the people’s rejection.
The DA’s spectacular gains – particularly winning Nelson Mandela metro (Port Elizabeth) which was ANC heartland – must be attributed to an attitude of plain dealing and of delivering the goods to their populations in the Western Cape. They also read the dissatisfaction in the youth and capitalised on it.
Much will be made of Julius Malema’s potential as a kingmaker in the ‘hung’ metros of Tshwane (Pretoria), Jo’burg and Ekhuruleni (East Rand), but we’ll have to watch this space. The EFF won seats by the popular vote, not through ward seats, so their demands will have to be tempered.
Here in KwaDukuza, the ANC fared less badly than nationally, losing one council seat to bring them down from 37 to 36 seats, and the percentage vote dropped from 68.9 to 63.6. However, the DA was the real gainer, up from eight seats to 11 (14.05 to 19.4%). Its seats are Ward 22 (Malcolm Hubner), Ward 6 (Tamsyn Colley), Ward 21 (Tommy du Toit) and Ward 17 (Madhun Singh).
The IFP retains its four seats and the newcomers through the proportional vote are the EFF (2 seats), Al Jama (1) and the African Independent Congress (1). The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and New Freedom Party (NFP) both got the thumbs down from voters and lost their seats in council.
The seating numbers on the Ilembe District Council are not clear yet, though the ANC won convincingly in Ndwedwe with 72.11% (IFP 20%, EFF 3.5%) and less so in Maphumulo with 56,54% (IFP 39,82% and EFF 1.4%).
So, what to make of this all? Will the ANC catch the wakeup it needs, or is it consigned to being the backsliding rural party? The stronger the DA, the more chance we have of benefitting from real democracy, not because anyone should believe blindly in the DA being a candidate for sainthood, but because it has been given a chance to prove its professed commitment against corruption. The stronger the opposition, the more the governing party will have to behave.
The writing is surely on the wall for the ANC -Zuma and his cronies must go! There is now a very good chance of opposition parties making inroads into the ANC in the 2019 national elections. If the ANC cannot stamp hard on corruption, fight crime and deliver services, that great liberation movement may well be consigned to the dustbin of history.
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Over the years there have been fingers pointed at Sembcorp Siza Water, accusing them of ripping the ratepayer off, suspicions because it is owned by a foreign company (Hong Kong or Singpore, last time I looked), further accusations of poor water quality.
Looking at the bad way Stanger and surrounds are in, where many areas have been completely without water for weeks, I believe the larger Ballito area has been very well served by Siza.
They saw the drought coming and acted quickly. They had the foresight to implement water restrictions earlier than anyone else, including Durban. There was a big squeal about water fines, but in the end it was for our own good.
I also believe they put pressure on government to commit to raising the wall of Hazelmere, an improvement Pretoria had sidestepped for decades.
Siza’s new water recycling, plus the emergency pipeline from the Tongaat River to Hazelmere put in by Umgeni Water, plus Umgeni’s pipeline from the Tugela feeding the lower North Coast, will all give this rapidly growing area a chance to develop in reasonable comfort.
The dam is at 54% and restrictions have been eased a little, so we’re over the worst. Hats off to Siza and Umgeni for the way they have handled the crisis.

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Ethel checked into a motel on her 65th birthday. She was lonely, a little depressed at her advancing age so decided to risk an adventure.
She thought, “I’ll call one of those men you see advertised in phone books for escorts and sensual massages.”
She looked through the phone book, found a full-page ad for a guy calling himself Tender Tony, a very handsome man with assorted physical skills flexing in the photo. He had all the right muscles in all the right places, thick wavy hair, long powerful legs, dazzling smile and six-pack abs.
She reckoned, what the hell, nobody will ever know. I’ll give him a call.
“Good evening, ma’am, how may I help you?”
Oh my, he sounded sooo sexy!
Afraid she would lose her nerve if she hesitated, so she rushed right in, “I hear you give a great massage. I’d like you to come to my motel room and give me one. No, wait, I should be straight with you. I’m in town all alone and what I really want is sex. I want it hot, and I want it now. Bring implements, toys, everything you’ve got in your bag of tricks. We’ll go at it all night … tie me up, cover me in chocolate syrup and whipped cream, anything and everything, I’m ready!
“Now how does that sound?”
He said, “That sounds absolutely fantastic, but you need to press 9 for an outside line.”