January 27
Thank you
Aileen, Paul, Margie and I would like to thank all our family and friends for the many phone calls, visits and support through our difficult times.
We greatly appreciate this during Des’ illness and Margie’s accident.
GEOFF BUTLER
Ballito
*****
Thank you for your care and concern
I would like to thank Ballito Autohaus for their service, in a very different way.
I ferry foodstuffs, which are very generously donated, by a food store in the Ballito area to the neighbouring communities. On Monday last week I was on one such trip and on the spur of the moment decided to drop off a thank you letter at BMW for a donation we had received towards a Christmas party in Groutville.
It began to rain and as I put my foot down on the tiled walkway outside the entrance to BMW, I slipped and fell. I received a nasty jolt to my head. There was a little blood and slight injury to my jaw.
In moments staff were at my side. They took me up to Alberlito Hospital and never left until I was discharged much later in the afternoon. I received calls from both BMW and Dr Patel, inquiring after my health. Apparently the bill was also taken care of! I am overwhelmed by the concern shown me. Thank you BMW and thank you Alberlito Hospital for your loving concern.
LINDA PRIMMER
Ballito
*****
Please can I have my ID back?
Would the kind lady who picked up the identity packet from a Spar trolley on Tuesday, please return it to me, or to the Spar counter, as we have seen the camera footage at Spar that shows her with a baby. My number is 0837753010, no questions asked.
S REDDY
Ballito
*****
Where do they get these figures?
We have finally heard back from the objections committee at the municipality. Here are the figures based on our property in Sheffield beach, the old Sheffield area, across the road from Brettenwood!
Value pre-June 2011: R520 000.
Value June to December 2011: R5,2 million.
Value January 2012: R2,5 million.
What gives, really? Where on earth are they thumb-sucking these figures from?
PRIVI NAIDOO
Sheffield Beach
*****
Great response to mongoose article
We have had such a great response to your article “Ten baby mongoose rescued,” Courier, January 20).
Lots of people have phoned and ask how could they help us, but most importantly, one lady phoned and said she had a little baby mongoose which she was trying to raise and could we please help.
This is obviously the most responsible thing someone can do when finding a wild baby animal. The new baby is at home with Estie who went to fetch it. It is very, very young, its eyes have only just opened!
SAMANTHA TERBLANCHE
CROW Durban
*****
New Year is only once a year!
With reference to the remarks passed about the New Year’s Eve party, I would like to make the following notes:
Basically all local media did proclaim the New Years Eve party a huge success. Everything went fairly well.
Living 150 metres above the venue, I found it not so terrible. It is New Year’s Eve and it only happens once a year after all.
Of course it is for private gain. What a brilliant idea. Remember Dr Anton Rupert made his first cigarettes in his garage and everyone ought to know what he became.
What an advertising platform is it not, to make Ballito known to so many people, with radio 5FM as a carrier.
As long as the site remains unoccupied it will remain the most suitable site in Ballito.
Adapt yourselves to all conditions in life – I am 76 years young.
LUCAS STEYN
Ballito
*****
Fireworks are the real problem at New Year
With reference to the various letters on the New Year’s Eve party, I could not agree more that it should be held at another venue.
However adding fuel to the fire, I strongly object to private parties where fireworks are blasted off and the subsequent damage and trauma that our pets need to endure .
I, for one needed to calm my dogs in the kitchen until 2am. Further to my disgust was my neighbour’s dog being put out at 6.30 on New Year’s Day to wake up the neighbourhood
By continuous barking at the sun coming up and anything that moves, subsequently wakening all the other dogs up and peaceful Ballito could not go back to sleep. This neighbour does not care a hoot about his animal and should, as such, not even be allowed to own a pet. His dog also does not only do this on public holidays, but this an everyday occurrence.
Speaking to him is like talking to a brick wall and the SPCA won’t do a thing. So alright, should both of us land up with a nervous breakdown, neighbour I hope you have a good insurance cover.
JAN DIEMEL
Ballito
*****
Cops get a ‘high five’ for control
Better late than never, I just want to give the police a “High Five” for the work they did at Tinley Manor Beach over the festive period – so much better, no broken bottles and a much better-behaved crowd. Thanks for a job well done.
But no thanks to the Ballito traffic police. We went to collect a pizza from Al Pescatore on Friday the 13th and parked where we have parked many times with no problem, but ended up with a R300 parking ticket and this after 9.pm.
Come on, what was the point? We were not obstructing anyone and I feel there was no necessity for this. Shame on you.
Thanks for your great paper.
GAYDENE EASTWOOD
Tinley Manor
*****
Fans of Sage
I would like to say a big thank you to the owner, Rory, and his staff at Sage in Umhlali.
My family and I frequent the restaurant on a regular basis and there has never being a time when we have being disappointed with his food or the service we received from his well-trained and friendly staff.
Our children always have a ball there with all the activities available and this gives my husband and I time to relax and enjoy the tranquil surrounding as well as the excellent food.
It is so refreshing to see that excellent customer service is still alive!
HASHICA BHIKA
Umhlanga
*****
Ballito is looking tatty
I walk along the promenade between Hops and the Galley every morning. It shocks me to see the amount of garbage lying around, but especially to see the number of beer and other alcoholic beverage bottles lying around the “bus stop” (the benches which were installed when the old toilets were demolished).
It appears that people sleep there often and during my evening walks, especially around the Christmas period, there would be parties taking place with the revellers openly drinking alcohol in public. I understand this is against the law, but I have never once seen the law being enforced. It is time this problem was taken into hand, either by the police having a blitz, or by the community contributing an extra sum to the security companies to pay for a permanent patrol along the promenade.
Speaking of the promenade, it is looking sadly neglected and as one of the attractions of Ballito it should be kept in pristine condition. Added to which, the entrance to Ballito, excepting the roadworks which appear to be a new tourist attraction, is in shocking condition.
When our team of “men in red” were active, it was kept trimmed and tidy, but now it is so overgrown and covered with castor oil bushes it looks disgraceful. It may be province’s responsibility but I have never seen them cleaning the area.
If something is not done, our tourists will gradually diminish as they find more pleasing venues for their holidays, and our property values will decrease. I am truly a concerned resident and am always prepared to be involved in the best interests of our town.
PAM MILLS
Ballito
*****
Body corporate should be heavily fined
Alarmingly, without any apparent reason, the second of the famed Les Dauphine Milkwoods has perished!
What will our environmental terrorist body corporate come up with next?
A trip to Japan for a spot of whaling with a bag full of rhino horns? The body corporate were fully aware that these trees were protected and being the second milkwood to be destroyed, they should be subject to a considerable fine and be compelled to replant with as big a milkwood that is available.
JULIE BRABY
Shakas Rock
*****
Legislation is not being policed
I refer to your article (“Dull and Leafless Milkwood,” January 20). Whether the specimen was poisoned or died of “shock” amounts to the same thing, we have lost another wonderful Coastal Red Milkwood (Mimusops Caffra), a government protected species.
The problem does not lie in lack of legislation, indifferent public opinion, etc etc. The problem lies with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. In my dealings with them, which includes various correspondence and a meeting at their offices in Pietermaritzburg, I have found them to be inefficient and ineffective.
We have a wonderful piece of legislation that protects our fauna, but no one to police it.
Until the department gets its act together, our natural resources will continue to be plundered.
We predicted this in March of last year, and it’s unfolding exactly as we predicted.
Without a high profile prosecution, our resources will continue to be destroyed, as we have seen with the Tiffany’s Centre issue and now again in Les Dauphine.
ROBIN LAVERY
North Coast Surfers Union
*****
