DEAR Editor,-
According to letter writer Eddie Walker (Letters to the Editor, SCH December 30), the Herald should continue to bury its head in the sand and ignore the violations perpetrated on its ratepayers by the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality in the interests of boosting tourism – and selling houses to visitors.
Mr Walker would have us believe that articles in the Herald lambasting the municipality for poor service, dissuade visitors from buying houses. Really? Do you think, Mr Walker, that those astute visitors looking to invest in holiday homes are so stupid they can’t see for themselves what is happening?
When they go to the beach and see our dilapidated Olympic-sized pool closed because of a lack of money to repair it, they can’t put two and two together? Or on a walk to the recently revamped tidal pool, that the stairs leading to it are broken and unusable? What about the vast number of ‘For Sale’ signs, some with ‘reduced to sell’ inducements on them and that have been there for a year or more? Let’s not get into the dry taps or forlorn, empty shops.
I live in a Ramsgate beachfront complex, mostly owned by holidaymakers, units of which, some years ago, fetched in excess of R1.6m. A recent sale realised much, much less. These owners see what is going on and some are nervous. We live under a failing and financially-challenged municipality that struggles to maintain a bloated and largely inefficient workforce.
Last week the Herald carried a letter from property owner Theo Selkon who owns three flats which he rents to holidaymakers (SCH January 6). So angry with the lack of service delivery is Mr Selkon, that he proposes a rates boycott (a growing sentiment) and says he will contact Carte Blanche to visit us to highlight our woes. That will be the kiss of death.
Lastly Mr Walker, did it ever occur to you that writing your letter, at the height of the season, served no purpose but to tip ‘potential’ buyers off that serious problems exist in our community? Unless we voice our opposition to maladministration, the council will get away with murder at the expense of ratepayers and the result will be another Port St Johns. That is, until, in years to come, the smart money moves in and buys up this South Coast gem for a song.
ROGER MAKINGS
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