Author: 6000

Madonsela ‘concerned’ as DA requests run dry

Posted on

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was said to have been “hugely concerned” by an apparent halt in requests from the Democratic Alliance for her office to investigate anything and everything to do with anything and everything.

A spokesperson for the Office of the Public Protector stated:

Ms Madonsela stated her concern to colleagues that there had been no incoming requests from the DA for her to investigate any government department, government minister, government linked company or parastatal for almost 24 hours.
This is an unusual situation and had worried Ms Madonsela as the DA contributes over 95% of the investigative work for our office. On the DA’s insistence, we have investigated the Health Department, E-tolling (twice), SAPS Building Leases, Sicelo Shiceka, Richard Mdluli, Jacob Zuma (thirteen times), Susan Shabangu, Oilgate, Bheki Cele and the POIB.
And that’s just off the top of my head. Which they have asked for an investigation into as well.
They submitted no request for any investigation into Minister of Labour Nelisiwe Mildred Oliphant, however, they then submitted a request for an investigation as to why there had been no request for an investigation into Ms Oliphant.

There is much speculation that other DA requests to the Office of the Public Protector, and which were rejected, have not been made public. Rumours suggest that these included the decreasing size of Woolies’ prepared fruit salads, the lack of sunshine in Cape Town last August and the suddenly anatomically-confusing animal designs on Iced Zoo biscuits.

The spokesperson added:

They [the DA] also called for an investigation as to why the Public Protector had investigated the DA-controlled Midvaal municipality, as they never asked us to investigate that. That was a bit of an awkward moment.

However, there was much relief in Ms Madonsela’s office as it turned out that the lack of email requests was because of a Telkom ADSL fault in central Pretoria.

The DA immediately called for the Public Protector to investigate Telkom, by fax.

Do not pass Go…

Posted on

I really enjoyed Jerm’s offering this morning and he has given me kind permission to share it with you on here:

It really does feel that way at the moment. The sponge is being squeezed and there’s very little bathwater left to drip out.

For us in Cape Town, the next nasty “surprise” is the July 1st rates increase, which inevitably includes hefty hikes in electricity and water as well. While this will obviously prompt shock and outrage from the uninformed population (probably on the 2nd, as the 1st is a Sunday), this happens every year, with alarming regularity.

On a more positive note, we could (could) be looking at a petrol price drop in the meantime. And, if oil continues on its current downward trend and the Rand holds firm for a few more weeks, it might be as much as 55c/litre. That would give you more than 3 weeks to save up so you can light your house in July.

Happy Days!

The other Cape Town fog photo

Posted on

While everyone is (rightly) sharing Anelia Loubser’s Cape Town fog photo from last night (that link from her Facebook profile), it seems that there was another individual on the Grassy Knoll we call Signal Hill.

His name is Mike Hutchings and here’s what made while he was there:

Which was published along with this one here. For me it’s a much better photo. Anelia’s looks rather clumsy and overexposed alongside this.
The longer exposure makes for gorgeous, smooth waves of fog and the tips of the harbour cranes are the icing on the cake. Wonderful.

London Talking…

Posted on

A blog, from London, about talking. It’s the musings (did you really just use *that* word on this blog?!? – Ed.) of the brother of a schoolfriend of mine. He’s from Sheffield, but now lives in London and he does things that no-one else ever does. He talks to people. On the Tube. And then he writes it all down.

Here’s the how and why:

People notoriously don’t talk to each other on the tube in London. As a newcomer to the city, I thought a good way to introduce myself to it (literally), would be to strike up conversations with strangers on public transport as I make my way around. I plan to chat to people and write up the results like mini-interviews here. But there are rules:

1. I can’t mention the blog or tell them why I’m talking to them

2. I have to mix up who I talk to, not just my age group or people I feel comfortable with

3. The talk-ees will remain anonymous, but I can describe them

4. No talking about the weather – keep it interesting

This could either be a fascinating study in social interaction or a roundly humiliating experience which ends in me getting punched in the face (as some people have suggested I will), or maybe just a bit of light entertainment for you good people of the internet. Let’s see.

I wasn’t sure if it was for me when I began reading, but you find yourself being drawn in to the posts. It all seems very superficial at first glance, but the snapshot of ordinary people’s lives is actually hugely intriguing and leaves you wishing you knew more.

Even without any deep analysis, there is the sense that the people he talks to are existing, rather than living. And that confirms my experiences of people there as well. The difference between the people residing in the city and the people visiting the city is obvious. While it may be one of the most exciting cities in the world, it seems that it takes being an outsider to see and enjoy the excitement. For those living there, it’s just about making the money to be there, which seems rather weird.

That said, how many of us enjoy what Cape Town has to offer? How long since you last went up the mountain, did a wine route or took a wander round Kirstenbosch?

Let’s face it, those are your best options for entertainment in the Mother City, because the chances of you having a chat with a stranger on public transport in Cape Town are precisely zero.