Resident hangs hear head in shame over Ncandu River

Madam – Ncandu River – Falls – Dam.

Shame. As a resident of Newcastle for my entire life, family, friends and I often visited the dam and falls for maybe a picnic or braai.

We always disposed of rubbish in bags to drop off at the dumpsite on returning home. I was proud – even took my “suitor” for a “love up” in younger years and am sure conceived my youngest child (now 48 yrs) at the said site.

Oh yes, I was proud! In the interim and where I reside I made friends with Polish doctors – we still are friends – and on a Sunday afternoon took them to the dam with their daughter of 28 years.

Do you know they laughed at me and asked, “Where is the water and what of the fish?” I hung my head in shame, not before I asked myself, “Who is to blame?”

Our Mayor, Afzul Rehman, surely no!

He was not even our mayor [at the time]. We, the community must not point a finger at him because three fingers will point back at us.

As for me, they say pride has a fall and gosh! My pride fell. Best wishes to our mayor and waterboard in sorting this “water cabbage” – Pistia Stratiotes, out.

Cabbage