Dear Editor
Today, alongside the DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, Bridget Masango, DA KZN Provincial Leader, Francois Rodgers, and DA KZN Premier Candidate, Chris Pappas, I conducted an oversight visit to various areas in eThekwini.
The focus of our oversight was on the crisis of homelessness in the city, a situation exacerbated by governmental failures to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.
Despite the establishment of a homeless shelter by the eThekwini Municipality, it was disheartening to witness its derelict condition. People in these areas struggle daily for food and water, worsened by budget cuts affecting NGOs (Non-governmental Organisations) and NPOs (Non-profit Organisations) that provide vital services to these communities. It is evident that the priorities of the ANC government are misplaced, with funds redirected towards unnecessary luxuries such as VIP protection for high-ranking politicians while the basic needs of the poor are neglected.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is committed to rescuing South Africans by empowering individuals to lift themselves out of poverty. A DA government will strive for economic justice by implementing policies to lift six million people out of extreme poverty and into dignity.
Our plan provides concrete steps to safeguard the most vulnerable, including increasing the child support grant, extending support to pregnant mothers, and streamlining disability-specific grants. Additionally, initiatives such as expanding essential food items and utilizing food hubs to combat food insecurity demonstrate our dedication to addressing the root causes of poverty.
Furthermore, we advocate for converting the Social Relief of Distress Grant into a Job Seekers Grant, emphasising the importance of not just providing temporary relief but also creating pathways to sustainable employment.
As we build towards the general elections on the 29th of May 2024, it is imperative that we prioritise the needs of the most vulnerable in our society.
Regards
Siviwe Gwarube MP
Chief Whip of the Official Opposition
Hobo Samurai
Diary of an Englishman after he moves to South Africa….
**August 1**: Just got transferred with work from London, UK to our new home in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, South Africa. Now this is a town that knows how to live! Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings. I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday. It was beautiful. I’ve finally found my new home. I love it here.
**September 1:** Really heating up now. It got to 31 today. No problem though. Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this. I’m turning into a sun-worshipper – no blasted rain like back in London! Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today. Lots of palms and rocks. No more mowing lawns for me! Another scorcher today, but I love it here. It’s Paradise !
**October 1:** The temperature hasn’t been below 35 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least today it’s windy though. Keeps the flies off a bit. Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected. Fell asleep by the pool yesterday. Got third degree burns over 60% of my body. Missed three days off work. What a dumb thing to do. Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!
**October 25:** This wind is a bastard. It feels like a giant fucking blow dryer. And it’s hot as hell! The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged R200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from @#$# Johannesburg. The wife & the kids are complaining.
**October 30:** The temperature’s up around 40 and the parts still haven’t arrived for the fucking air conditioner. House is an oven so we’ve all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. Bleeding R4 million house and we can’t even go inside. Why the hell did I ever come here?
**November 4:** Finally got the fucking air-conditioner fixed. It cost R1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 35 degrees. Stupid repairman. Fucking thief. If one more smart bastard says ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I’m going to fucking throttle him. Fucking heat! By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my fucking clothes are soaking fucking wet and I smell like baked cat. Fucking place is the end of the Earth.
**November 9:** Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car. I thought my fucking backside was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my fucking behind. Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried bum and baked cat. The Weather report might as well be a fucking recording – hot and sunny. Hot and sunny, Hot and fucking sunny. It’s been too hot to do anything for 2 bleeding months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Fuck!!
**November 15:** Doesn’t it ever rain in this darn place? Water restrictions will be next, so my R5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the fucking pool. The only things that thrive in this hell-hole are the fucking flies. You don’t dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little buzzards!
**November 20:** Welcome to HELL! It got to 45 degrees today. Now the air conditioner is gone in my car. The repair man came to fix it and said, ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I wanted to shove the car up his backside. Anyway, had to spend the R2,500 of the mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid fool. Fucking PHALABORWA! What kind of sick, demented idiot would want to live here!
**December 1:** WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are fucking kidding me, right?
Fast Flak
Bobotie – a spicy mince dish [buh-boor-tee] This delicious dish originated in Malay cooking and is made with spicy minced meat, baked in the oven with an egg custard topping. It is usually served with yellow rice and raisins.