* The amount of rubbish that accumulates every day in town is cause for concern. Yet we have a fantastic team of municipal cleaners who go about their task to clean up the mess in an extraordinary fashion.
Drive into town at 7.30pm and you will find the CBD clean as a whistle, with litter bags full and neatly piled up to be loaded onto refuse trucks the following morning. These cleaners conduct their duties in an unheralded fashion, and credit must go to them and their supervisor. Unfortunately, all the hard work comes to zilch within a few hours of the following day, because the public reduces the town to a pigsty.
There is a culture of littering in our communities. Do you remember when our town was voted one of the cleanest in KZN, if not the cleanest? That was during the tenure of Mr Solly Olla. It’s nowhere near that now, but one cannot point fingers at our municipal team of cleaners. Those ladies and men are doing a splendid job. Give them all a Bell’s!
* Hats off to Mayor Vincent Madlala for resolving a volatile situation in Roosboom. Having done that, the issues which the residents rightfully raised must now be addressed as a matter of urgency. The respective councillors need to get off their butts and serve the residents – that’s what they were voted into office for.
* The Ladysmith Hospice association is an organisation that renders yeoman services to the community at large. It is headed by a band of dedicated volunteers who render service not for name or fame, but for the good of those who face life-threatening illnesses. They have faced these challenges for the last 16 years and have not wavered, despite growing challenges. Why not join this august association? If not, visit the Hospice Shop at 311 Murchison Street and view the items on sale. You will be pleasantly surprised!
* Ladysmith Child Welfare convened its 58th annual general meeting last week, and the huge turnout reflected the acknowledgement of the magnificent role played to improve the quality of life of the indigent and those who have been victimised through no fault of their own. In the last year, Child Welfare successfully placed 587 children in foster care.
A further 108 children were admitted into child and youth care facilities. The home in Mimosa Road, Victory Haven, has received the necessary registration and clearance certificates to provide shelter for 20 children in a safe, healthy environment.
If you have the time, experience or skills to ease the burden shouldered by Child Welfare, then pop into their office at 362 Murchison Street and share your thoughts with Urmilla Riga, who will embrace your vision and guide you on a journey in the company of committed members to enhance the quality of lives of all the peoples of Ladysmith (irrespective of colour, creed or political persuasion). If not, speak to the chairperson, Upasna Singh, and bounce your ideas off her.
* I hear that our municipality is window shopping for new vehicles for our mayor. We’ve had a Merc, followed by an Audi. I wonder what next. Perhaps a Porsche? With all the paraphernalia?
* The Town Hall moved its arms. They were stuck at 12.45. Now they are at 12.48! Someone is trying to get us back on time.
* Lights stay on for hours on end in the upper floors of the new block in the Lister Clarence Building. Does someone forget to switch them off or are municipal employees grafting till the wee hours of the morning?
* Arsenal defeated Man City 3-0 to win the Charity Shield. Will this win impact positively on their fortunes for the new season? Wait and see.
* The local Palestine Solidarity Committee is to host a fund-raising dinner soon. Read the Ladysmith Gazette for more details.
