Uh oh!

I've just been to the gate of our complex and spied a minor Matterhorn of black and orange rubbish bags. Seems as if our Tuesday morning collection didn't take place and that the DSW strike has spread this far.

The litter crisis widens

The Natal Mercury, of September 30, 2008, reports that Durban Solid Waste workers trashed the city yesterday, emptying litter bins onto the pavement and obstructing traffic. The workers were demonstrating in solidarity with the striking bus drivers and because they now also want to become full-time employees of the city???? It comes as news to me that they aren't.

In the same issue of the Mercury, there is a follow-up report on the chaos and litter left on the beachfront last Friday night by celebrating pupils. Metro Police spokesperson Supt. Joyce Khuzwayo is quoted as saying the force had not anticipated the influx of revellers. She said buses loaded with pupils had come from as far afield as the Eastern Cape.

It would probably infringe on their human rights so I don't suppose we could turn them away at Tollgate in future. Next time, let's ban all glass containers and get enough police and army to keep a lid on things when they start going pear-shaped.

The bus strike continues

The Natal Mercury, of September 29, 2008, reports that the buses could be off the streets for another two months. The drivers are objecting to having to work for Remant Alton and I can't say I blame them much. The lack of transport is causing all sorts of problems, as you might expect, and it's all down to the municipality's fatally flawed decision to sell off the bus service in the first place. I've got a car, thank God, but I feel for all those who do not.

Beachfront trashed

Making the front page of The Sunday Tribune, of September 28, 2008, is report describing the horrific amount of litter, including huge quantities of broken glass, left on the beachfront on Friday night, September 26. The carnage was put down to youngsters celebrating the end of the school year but the party must have been a far cry from those in my day. We just wouldn't have been allowed to run riot and smash glass to the extent that people had to turn from the beaches the next day because it wasn't safe to walk.

A former municipal employee apparently contacted the Metro Police and was told that they had only had 20 staff on duty on Friday night who were unable to control the situation. I didn't see the devastation but I did got through town at about 6:30 on Saturday morning and, to say that the streets were disgustingly littered, would be a gross understatement.

We have time and money to change street names and build vast new stadiums but we don't have enough money for esssentials like adequate policing and, for that matter, enough firemen to do the job of keeping us safe.

The strike continues

The Mercury of Wednesday, September 24, 2008, reports that Remant Alton (our lovely bus company) has fired over 350 bus drivers for participating in an illegal strike. The strike was precipitated by Deputy City Manager Derek Naidoo's article on the background to the ongoing bus debacle which I reported here.

The drivers were reported in Wednesday's Mercury as saying that they did not want to work for Remant Alton, because of its history of financial mismanagement, and that they would prefer to work for the municpality. Naidoo replied to the drivers by saying that the munipality was not in a position to take them on. I can imagine how that soothed the drivers' passions.

The Mercury of today, September 25, 2008, reports that Remant Alton was to use trainee drivers and advertise for new staff in an attempt to beat the strike.

The comment was made along the way by Naidoo that the city could not break its contract with Remant Alton unless it defaulted. So why buy the buses from the company? The best course would have been to let it go bust and for the municpality to take over the bus service. It seems to me to be the height of folly to buy the buses back from them but, despite their poor history, let them still run the service.

There are few details available as yet but city management have come up with what seems like another harebrained scheme. This time they have some notion of getting the minibus taxi operators involved in the running of the bus service once remant Alton's contract expires in late 2010. More details as and when...