The Rep 9 February 2018.compressed

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THE REPRESENTATIVE 9 Februar y 2018
EDITORIAL
OPINION
Plans for
the future
WHILE the Enoch Mgijima
Local Municipality is
battling a lack of power,
failing infrastructure, potholed
roads and refuse removal
challenges, there is another
issue which is in need of urgent
attention: residential land.
The recent occupation of land
in Ezibeleni has brought to the
forefront the dire need for the
municipality to start focusing
on the organised planning of
the town and surrounding
areas.
Such planning – which needs
professional input in terms of
layout and access to services –
is imperative if the town wants
to grow in a sustainable
manner and in a way which will,
in the future, meet the needs of
residents.
The need for open spaces for
parks, recreation and future
development of business and
suburbs will have to be taken in
consideration. Ezibeleni has
had way too little business
development over the past few
years and while the area
blossoms, opportunity for
growth and for the
entrepreneurial spirit is being
hampered by the lack of space
and plans for a thriving
business hub in the area.
At the same time, desperation
has resulted in people invading
municipal land – a move which
recently led to a court interdict
by the municipality and the
subsequent arrest of people for
disobeying said interdict.
Instead of this becoming a
negative tendency, it should be
sparking EMLM to action in
terms of looking at available
residential land and the setting
out of plots for residential
development.
My fear is, as the past few
weeks have proven, that the
existing infrastructure can not
handle the population growth
being experienced in Komani.
The municipality has indicated,
in The Rep’s front page story
today, that plans are in place to
repair the electrical
infrastructure. Whether any of
that money would go towards
the development of new
infrastructure in areas which
need the development of
residential suburbs, is not
known, but it is necessary.
The building of RDP houses
has to be accompanied by an
investment in infrastructure and
the existing network has to be
maintained. And that’s just
water and power. The
municipality will still have to
consider roads and sewage
network extensions.
It is a mammoth task, but it
will have to be done for the
future of a well-developed and
structured Komani.
Give Ramaphosa the
space to uproot Zuma
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has always
attracted drama.
If he was not the president he
would have been the perfect
character in a political drama or a
gangster movie. Many had
underestimated the levels he was
willing to go to stay out of jail and
later to stay in power so as to stay
out of jail. While many were still
mesmerised by his unlikely ascent
to power Zuma summed up that the
strong and independent law
enforcement agencies were an
impediment to him remaining
s c ot - f r e e .
Tu y n h u y s was a ticket to stay safe
and to make his
fa m i l y,
benefactors and
friends rich. If
many South
Africans had their
way Zuma should
be pulled by the scruff of the neck
and chucked out of Mahlamba
Ndlopfu.
They are frustrated with what they
see as the limp-wristed approach of
the ANC and Deputy President Cyril
Ramaphosa towards Zuma. While
that may appear so, ours is a
constitutional democracy so
whatever we do, we have to be
careful not to fix a problem by
creating another.
There are only two ways a
president can be removed: either
via Section 102 – A vote of no
confidence which needs a simple
majorit y.
This is similar to a resignation
and the president keeps his
benefits; or by Section 89 which
needs a two-thirds majority on the
grounds that the president is unable
IN
TOUCH
... with Phumelele P Hlati
to perform his duties or after a
serious violation of the c o n st i t u t i o n
or serious misconduct.
Under this section, the president
is stripped of all his benefits and is
barred from ever assuming public
of f i c e .
Nowhere in our constitution does
the word “recall” appear. Do you see
why the ANC has to be so careful?
He has the ANC, and by
extension, the country, by the throat.
What Zuma is doing may well be
within his rights and is lawful, but
as a politician he has broken every
rule. He is an ANC deployee, so
when that party wants to remove
him, he should
oblige. But
Zuma being
Zuma, he will
not go meekly.
Is Ramaphosa
sof t?
Is he being played by Zuma? I
doubt Ramaphosa is either. He is
biding his time to make sure all the
loose ends are tied up. Some have
accused him of being in a hurry to
be president but his conduct over
the past few days and weeks shows
the opposite.
He has been at pains to make
sure that there is no constitutional
crisis while avoiding a showdown in
parliament between the ANC, Zuma
and opposition parties.
We must give him space to
uproot Zuma from the presidency
with as little damage as possible.
Zuma is finished and he knows it.
He will go by the end of the month
and things will go back to some sort
of normal state.
The opposite is too ghastly to
c o n t e m p l at e .
SAD SIGHT: The emptiness of the Bonkolo Dam is reflected in this photo by Leon Annandale of Komani
FACE 2 FA C E
Question: Do you think
women are recognised
enough for the work
they do in the society?
Answer: I don’t think
women are given enough
recognition and
acknowledgement of the
kind of impact they have
on society. You will find
that in most work places
women are paid less than
men, while they are doing
the same job.
Q: Why did you choose
this particular
p r ofe s s i o n?
A: I have chosen to
study BA in social science
because it is intellectually
challenging and it allows
me to learn new things
about it on a daily basis.
Q: What makes you
angr y?
A: People who pretend
to be something that they
are not upsets me. Life is
unpredictable enough as
it is, and having people
who trap you with the
idea of what they think
you want to see in them
is unnecessary.
Q: Who is your role
model?
A: My role model is
M Z WA M A K H O S I
ZWENI
WHAT do you think about the
backlash against the
controversial film Inxeba, also
known as The Wound? The Rep
intern Pilanathi Rasmeni took
to the streets of Komani to find
out.
Mzwamakhosi Zweni of
Qo qodala
It’s disgracing our traditional
ritual. Xhosa men’s initiation is
our sacred rite to prove
whether a man is fit to face
l i fe ’s challenges and to go
through that transition to
manhood. To us it is sad to see
anyone who does not let
circumstances define who
they want to be and what
they want to achieve in
life. I believe you should
never give up, be it your
past, present or your
health issues. Everyone
should live their dream.
Q: What is your motto in
l i fe?
A: Love. Live. Laugh.
Q: What makes you
proud of being a South
A f r i c a n?
A: I am proud to be a
South African because we
are a diverse country that
encounters conflicts
because of diversity but,
through it all, we always
strive together to build a
unified and peaceful
societ y.
Q: Where do you see
yourself in the next five
y e a r s?
A: I see myself living
my dream and I want to
inspire and motivate
others through that
dream.
Q: Describe South
A f r i c a?
Diversified, challenged
but with lots of
possibilities.
YOUR VOICE
... vox pops on the street
What do you think about ...
AV U Y I L E
JAXA
our secret being used as
entertainment. That film is
revealing everything about
u l wa l u ko , and that is violation
of our right to privacy.
Avuyile Jaxa of Komani
Even though the film is
contradicting our traditional
ritual, I think it will decrease
the death rate of the initiates. It
will raise awareness and
people will be able to take
conducive decisions. Also,
mothers will be able to choose
to take children to hospitals if
necessary instead of going to
E’VA N
MYRON
with BA social science student
Zenande Mqikela
AMANDA
G O N TS O LO
the mountain.
E’van Myron of Komani
My view of this whole thing
is that it’s not right. I am
coloured and I fully respect the
tradition of Xhosa people,
therefore they should not show
such things. It has nothing to
do with us.
Amanda Gontsolo of Mlungisi
I do not support the
screening of Inxeba in the
cinemas because it might instil
fear into young boys who are
still expected to go through the
ritual. Women are not allowed
MLINGANI
M C WA B E N I
to know about what is
happening with the traditional
Xhosa ritual (u l wa l u ko ) and by
exposing it, it is devaluing and
distorting the dignity of the
ritual.
Mlingani Mcwabeni of
Alo evale
The producers of the movie
should have consulted the
traditional leaders before
releasing the movie. Even if its
message was meant to educate
a certain audience it is
humiliating if it is published
without people’s consent.