Billboard brass tacks
The article "Councillor Raises Safety Fears over New Advertising Billboard's Construction" (DD May 26) refers.
If only BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya was forced to leave his air-conditioned office before commenting to the media. In this case, his comments about the advertising billboard erected over Western Avenue on the way to Hemingways mall would likely have been very different.
The rust he mentions on the spot-welding is actually appearing all over the gigantic metal structure.
How this billboard can already be sporting advertising signage while still being under construction is mindboggling — clearly it has not or should not have been signed off, and yet it is already in use.
Amazingly, it was only when a number of concerned structural engineers made contact with BCM that strengthening struts were even added to the structure.
The DA intends to ask council for all the required signed-off documents, including the signed-off structural plan for the billboard.
We have already asked for an independent structural engineer to inspect the billboard for the required safety standards.
We have asked that, until this is done, the advertising signage is removed, as the weight of it and the resistance offered in high winds could pose increased danger to every motorist in the vicinity.
— DA Councillor Sue Bentley, BCM
In trouble
I grew up thinking the leaders of the "independent" bantustans were the worst sellouts but now I think they were better community leaders than today's politicians.
For example in BCM the current government closes and destroys schools built by the likes of Lennox Sebe in Ciskei — genuine educational institutions like Hlaziya and Vulindlela ("Red Tape Snarls up Repurposing of Abandoned Eastern Cape Schools", DD Jan 5).
They are destroyed. Now you only see walls and shacks, although today we have qualified artisans and teachers moulded and produced by those institutions.
I hope somebody still has pictures of those institutions to show our children.
And what happened to the factories in Fort Jackson, Dimbaza and Butterworth? Destroyed.
We are in trouble. We should vote these people out of government and get better community leaders, starting with these coming elections. — Mzwandile Mqotyana, Mdantsane