HOLD onto your seats!
This year promises to be a wild, wild ride with the usual contenders already donning boxing gloves for a ‘rumble in the (Umdoni) jungle’.
For starters, Umdoni Speaker Sykes ‘Rope-a-Dope’ Naidoo and the DA’s fiery Edwin ‘Slugger’ Baptie are already squaring up in the letters-to-the-editor ring.
This promises to be a real bunfight with Afriforum’s Chris ‘Ref’ Fourie weighing in for more partisan fans baying for blood over the beachfront Wimpy saga.
The grand finale will probably only take place early next year when we are all asked to vote for a winner.
The Mail doesn’t really want to take sides and will merely give a round-by-round, blow-by-blow account of the stories as they unfold.
Ok, maybe this column might throw a pebble or two into the pond from time to time just to stir up a few ripples, but the intention is to inspire constructive comment from the wider audience.
For starters, Afriforum’s dig at Umdoni for allowing the Hoola Hoops pop-up shop to operate out of the vacant beachfront Pavilion this past festive season might just be a tad unfair.
Granted, the whole Pavilion tender debacle last year was a shambles, but the ‘pop-up shop’ idea was supported by Council en masse as a temporary, emergency measure so that holidaymakers wouldn’t be met by a hollow echo at the Pavilion.
Presumably (and hopefully), Umdoni has learnt a hard lesson and will follow proper procedures from here on in.
Many have actually praised Myles Usher for his initiative with Hoola Hoops (regardless of the red tape) and it’s refreshing to see new ideas.
Yes, Wimpy certainly became ‘iconic’ after 26 years of super service and the way the proprietors were tossed out was shameful.
But that’s coffee under the bridge now.
We already have very popular franchises like Wimpy and Ocean Basket at the Mall.
Now, maybe Scottburgh can also become famous for its Hoola Hoops, Bell and Anchor, Mozam Prawn, the Beach Bar, Dodo’s and other fine establishments?
