Letter: Assist our police

Fiona McWilliam of Ballito writes:

Your support on this matter will assist the whole of Ballito and our community safety officers.

This is not a bleat about taxi drivers as personally, I have no issue with them as I have found them to be polite by letting me into traffic, skilled drivers in the main, although a little cheeky when in heavy traffic which I do understand as they have to get the working nation to their destination on time.

My only problem is the taxi drivers who abandon their vehicles in the road at the taxi rank near the BP petrol station along Ballito Drive.

But, I think that between the police (who asked me to motivate an article to assist us all and who directed me to the Courier), the good folk at the Courier and interested parties, we could get our community safety officers to assist us.

So to begin, I popped in to the police station for the third time within about four months to see what we can do about the taxis parking in the road, abandoned by their drivers, as one approaches the descent to Seaward Drive or, as in my case, where I need the left hand lane in order to go around the corner in front of the BP station to get to my destination.

I have to wait behind the abandoned taxis while 15 cars pass on my right before I can get into the right hand lane in order to get back into the left hand lane going toward Simbithi!

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The police were very polite and understanding, but said that their hands were tied because the community safety officers have to abandon their duties to go and attend to the shocking traffic problems at Umhlali, and especially the school.

So, I asked them why big, strong, highly-trained policemen had to go and attend to traffic issues when we have so many unemployed people who would jump at the chance to direct traffic (which is always the case when the traffic lights are not working and a most enjoyable experience for all, to see traffic light beggars, well able to direct buses, trucks, cars etc. with a little dance and a beaming smile which motivates drivers to offer them drinks, sandwiches, tips, caps, t-shirts etc.)

I was hoping that parents could assist them as well by dropping off extra food that they might have, old clothing, bedding, towels, soft drinks, water, snacks etc. in appreciation?

Could we not get them involved in Umhlali during peak traffic times and bring our police back to Ballito to attend to crime and very naughty taxi drivers who block the traffic? Your input and expertise would be gratefully appreciated by our scarce police force and the residents of Ballito.

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