@AnnetteLovemore – MP
@BenedictaVanMin – Cllr
@BrenvanderMerwe – Cllr
@Cilliers_Brink – Cllr
@CllrMack90 – Cllr
@DAJohniDA – Cllr
@DALimpopo (Desiree van der Walt) – MP
@DebbieSchafer – MP
@DKB20 – MP
@Elza_Van_Lingen – MP
@FredNelDA – MPL
@FrontLineGreg – MP
@Grantpascoe – Cllr
@HlangananiGumbi – Cllr
@JFTerblanche – MP/L
@JackBloomDA – MPL
@JanetSemple1 – MPL
@Jo1Coetzee – Cllr
@LanceGreyling – MP
@LindiMazibuko – MP
@MaimaneAM – Cllr
@Makashule – Cllr
@MichaelWatersMP – MP
@NicoleGraham031 – Cllr
@PatriciaDeLille – Cllr
@RowanThiele – Cllr
@ShinnMarian – MP
@SizweMchunu – MPL
@StevensonBobby – MPL
@StuartPringle1 – Cllr

@alanwinde – MPL / MEC
@andrewseddie – Cllr
@brandontopham – Cllr
@brettherron – Cllr
@clrashor – Cllr
@davebryantct – Cllr
@deanwmacpherson – Cllr
@elmarielinde – Cllr
@gareth_morgan – MP
@geordinhl – MP
@helenzille – MPL / Premier
@henrokruger – Cllr
@ianneilson – Cllr
@ianollis – MP
@ivan2meyer – MPL
@jamesselfe3 – MP
@jsteenhuisen – MP
@kmileham – Cllr
@lanceweyer – Cllr
@mbalimcdust – Cllr
@mda_atwork – Cllr
@mikemo702 – MPL
@rosierau – Cllr
@rickcrouch – Cllr
@bevschafer – Cllr
@timharris – MP
@warwickchapman – Cllr
@wilmotjames – MP

I’m tired of the abundance of professional whingers I have to deal with on a daily basis. Too often do I hear throw away comments about how “the municipality does nothing” for our rates and taxes. Such statements demonstrate a level of ignorance which should have no place in the South Africa of today. In eThekwini we patently have water, electricity, excellent roads, reliable refuse removal (recycling), beaches, pools, uShaka, ICC, and yes parks and gardens – even though many spaces aren’t maintained as well as they should be.

Further, a huge proportion of our budget is spent spent rolling out infrastructure, services and housing to parts of the City where there were none before. How many of these professional moaners have actually driven to Waterloo or through the new KwaMashu town centre or visited Bridge City and seen that despite the many issues facing this council, money is actually spent relatively well.

I continue to be stunned by the number of people quite happy to say things like “we get nothing” for our taxes or “the government does nothing”. Do yourself a favour, go to Zimbabwe or Mozambique or Angola and spend some time there. Perhaps then you’ll stop taking for granted the services our governments provide.

And don’t get me wrong, Cape Town refers, we could and should be doing more and better but we’re hardly doing nothing.

CLLR WB CHAPMAN
Glenwood

–

The following describes how Gmail can be used as the single repository of mail despite us potentially having multiple mail accounts. The various benefits of this approach include: no backups needed, fast searching, no need for sorting or tagging into folders, single place to look for anything, integrated mail, calendaring and contacts accessible from multiple devices, and…

NOTE: Depending on your requirements either a free Gmail or free Google Hosted account (7G mailbox size) or a paid Google Pro Hosted Account (25G mailbox size for $50 per annum) is required to make this all work.

1. Put all your mails in one* place
Firstly, ensure that all mails from your current email addresses are collected in one place – your Google mailbox. This can be achieved either by configuring a forward on your existing accounts to immediately send any mail received by them to your Gmail account, or by using the POP facility in Gmail to pull the mails from those accounts into the Gmail account.

With the exception of my eThekwini Ward 33 email address, the rest of my mail, by far the bulk, goes into my Google Pro account – about 20G of it since 2000 archived and searchable in there – and the only stuff that’s been deleted are the forwarded funnies with large attachments. Everything else is all there.

For the super paranoid, there are tools out there that you can use to backup your Gmail account as well.

2. Use identities to send “as” your other accounts
Secondly, setup identities in Google Mail and use them to send mail from that account “as” your other email address(es). For example from my Google Pro account at thusa.net, I send mail and receive mail as:
xxx @ da.org.za
xyz @ da.org.za
xxx @ thusa.co.za
xxx @ chapman.org.za

Additionally, in the event that someone who should be mailing me on my eThekwini Ward 33 address gets me on any of the above, I ensure I can also send as ward33 @ ethekwini.org so that when I reply to such a mail any subsequent replies are routed to the correct mailbox for council-related issues.

3. Use the shared calendaring and contacts facility

Of massive benefit to me is the shared calendaring and contacts provided by Google. I maintain a council calendar (ward33) and a private calendar (thusa.net). They are both viewable from one another so the appointments inter-mingle, just in different colours. This is replicated on my BlackBerry and other devices and on the Google Mail web interface.

So if I add a contact on my BB while out of the office, it is immediately placed in my Google Contacts, and the same for calendar items, and vice-versa. So seamlessly, two things happen: (1) the contact or calendar appointment is added everywhere, and in the process (2) creates a backup so that should I lose any device I never lose any information. This applies to emails, contacts, calendar items, tasks and more.

4. Ditch fat desktop email programs
For most of the 2000′s I was a devoted Microsoft Outlook user. Even after I switched my primary OS from Microsoft Windows to Ubuntu Linux, I still stuck with Outlook.

Eventually I made the switch from the very FAT Outlook client to the lightweight cloud-based Google Mail interface. It was quite an adjustment and forced a new and very productive way of thinking about email – and but I could *never* go back:
- searching is a schizzle, no more filing and folders;
- no more Outlook crashes and corrupt mailboxes;
- no more long waits while Outlook searches through the mailbox;
- no more slowdowns of the PC while outlook searches!

These reasons may well apply to every other local mail client (Thunderbird, Eudora, Groupwise, Outlook Express, …), though they will almost always be more efficient and stable than Outlook.

* If necessary maintain two (or more) Gmail accounts
In my case, as a ward councillor, I have reason to maintain two Gmail accounts, so that when I am replaced in my ward/council role (there are no guarantees in politics), the incoming councillor can take over my eThekwini Ward 33 mailbox and keep the history of the ward, its contact and its issues.

I used this configuration with my previous seat in eThekwini Ward 18 and it has made it very easy for me to hand over and assist the incoming councillor with issues during his first 6 months in office.

This is too technical for me!
Yes, some users will need help setting something like this up and ensuring existing accounts are consolidated into one, and then configuring the rest of the services and adding them to your other devices. But, actually it is all rather simple to do in the end and very simple to keep going.

Try it!

Ciao
Warwick

36/1/4/1/200900224
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO 2177
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNALQUESTION PAPER: 6 NOVEMBER 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 27- 2009)
Date reply submitted : 15 December 2009
Ms D Kohler-Barnard (DA) to ask the Minister of Police:
Whether the moratorium on recruiting new reservists will be lifted; if not, why not; ifso, when?

NW2883E

REPLY:

On Thursday 10 December 2009 the Minister of Police released a press statement informing people that the Moratorium on recruitment of reservists had been lifted.The lifting of this Moratorium will allow people who wish to volunteer their services on to assist the South African Police Service in the fight against crime to do so as long as they meet certain criteria laid down by the department.

Reply to question 2177 approved by Minister.

Then, in July 2010 I came upon a letter which explained to a Station Commander that while the moratorium had been lifted, it had actually not been lifted in practice. It is now over two years since the moratorium was lifted and still we are not recruiting reservists SAPS members to fight crime.

2010-07-28

The Station Commander
South African Police Services
Pinetown

Moratorium on Recruitment of Reservists : Question from Parliament by Ms D Kohler Barnard on 2009-11-06

1. Your minute 3/1/5/1/151 dated 2010-07-26 refers.

2. In the email requesting information on the subject matter received from the Pinetown Crime Prevention Commander it was not indicated that the matter was raised at a CPF meeting by Mr XXX and it was assumed that the CP Commander was making enquiries in order to expedite the recruitment of reservists, hence the brevity of the reply.

3. At a meeting held in Pretoria on 23 February this year between the Secretary to the Minister, M/s Jenny Irish-Qhobosheane and Brigadier Kennedy, the moratorium was discussed and it was made clear that despite the answer given in parliament and the subsequent Media Statement by the Minister, a decision had been taken by Division Visible Policing and Division Personnel Services that, pending the approval of the revised National Instruction and the completion of the necessary Naitonal Audit, recruiting and even reinstatement of ex members would of necessity remain on hold.

4. Subsequent to that meeting Brigadier Kennedy met with Brig J LeRoux, National Reservist Coordinator in the office of the National Commissioner had decided to impose a waiting period to allow for the conclusion of the Audit and publication of the revised National Instruction, before the lifting of the Moratorium would be confirmed by a letter from Divisional Commander, Personnel Services, whose office is the only instance who has the authority to make such a decision.

5. In view of the first-hand knowledge of these discussions, this office is of the opinion that the Minister is fully aware of the plans of National Head Office and the fear expressed by Station Commander XXX, in paragraph 7 of the above minute while understood and appreciated, is nevertheless not of consequence.

SIGNED
f/PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER: KWAZULU-NATAL (Maj General)
B A NTANJANA S.O.E

I will be pressing our Shadow Minister of Police to pursue this issue with the new National Police Commissioner and ensure we start supplementing our regular force with reservists again as soon as is possible!

If you think the council is taking too long to fix the lights you reported, please feel free to escalate through me.

Email to: custocare@elec.durban.gov.za

“Dear CustoCare

Please attend to faulty street lights in Glenwood on pole numbers:
- 34, 32, 30, 28, 26, 24, 22 and 20 on Nicolson Rd
- 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 36 Esther Roberts Rd

Regards
Warwick”

Today at 3pm the DA’s councillor in Cato Crest Hlanganani Gumbi and DA Spokesperson on Housing Cllr Warwick Chapman met with Mayor James Nxumalo to discuss the illegal threats of evictions in Cato Crest by the ward councillor and ANC Branch Executive Committee in the area. While the meeting was taking place, unknown to the DA or the Mayor, earthmoving machinery demolished 5 dwellings in Cato Crest.

Mayor Nxumalo and Chairperson for Human Settlements Cllr Nigel Gumede both unequivocally stated the evictions must be lawful and alternate accommodation must be provided. Mayor Nxumalo requested that the DA compile a formal complaint and submit it to the Muncipal Manager Mr Sbu Sithole as soon as possible and forward a copy to his office. He assured the DA that an investigation would take place from the City Manager’s office into how it is that a political structure of the ANC could be handling evictions and demolitions in Cato Crest.

The demolitions which were taking while the meeting was being held were undertaken under the supervision of the ward councillor’s assistant who is said by community members to have told them that, “We are coming here to show you that you must move”, and after demolishing the structures said, “Now you can call your DA.”

Cllr Gumbi, took affected residents to Cato Manor SAPS to lay charges relating to the demolition of their structures and destruction of property, however SAPS declined to open any cases. “We were told not to open new cases but instead to meet with the investigating officer Tuesday morning to include these charges in the existing case”, said Cllr Gumbi.

Cllr Gumbi has spend the better part of 48 hours working with community members to stop this illegal action. The SAPS have been extremely reluctant to enforce the law and prevent these illegal evictions. Only after senior MPs and MPLs intervened was any assistance from SAPS forthcoming. At the demolitions which took place today, SAPS did not respond.

The DA reiterates its full support for the eradication of shack settlements and the provision of formal housing in eThekwini. We however require that each step in the process of converting shack settlements into formal housing are undertaken lawfully and with respect for the dignity of those affected as a result. “We condemn the direct involvement of political structures in the work of our City government and cite it as a blatant example of the conflation of party and state”, said Cllr Chapman.

“We call on Mayor Nxumalo and City Manager Sbu Sithole to intervene as a matter of urgency and stop any further illegal action. SAPS also need to ensure they enforce the law without favour.”, said Cllr Gumbi.

MEDIA QUERIES:
Gumbi 076 288 8844
Chapman 083 7797 094

PHOTOS:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2327740/eThekwini/IMG-20120116-00131.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2327740/eThekwini/IMG-20120116-00132.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2327740/eThekwini/IMG-20120116-00133.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2327740/eThekwini/IMG-20120116-00134.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2327740/eThekwini/IMG-20120116-00135.jpg

ENDS

“South Africa has had a comprehensive crime prevention policy agenda for some time in the form of the 1996 National Crime Prevention Strategy and the 1998 White Paper on Safety and Security. Despite this, prevention has remained very much a second cousin within the South African criminal justice family, notwithstanding the fact that there is widespread agreement that it warrants far more attention.” — Julie Berg and Clifford Shearing in “The practice of crime prevention”

Crime prevention – 1996 National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) *

This is South Africa’s overarching policy on crime prevention. It was intended to be the guiding framework for a wide range of interdepartmental programs aimed at increasing safety. The four “pillars” of the NCPS covered improving criminal justice functioning, environmental design, community values and education, and transnational crime.

At its peak, the NCPS was seen as one of six pillars of the country’s National Growth and Development Strategy, a far-sighted move that recognized the vital role safety plays in development. However, the change of administration in 1999 ushered in a new approach to how government would deal with crime. Political pressure was mounting on government to deal with the rampant crime problem, and the longer-term approach of the NCPS was not appeasing the fears of the public or of politicians. In the end, shortrange thinking prevailed, the Growth and Development Strategy was shelved in favour of the Growth, Employment, and Redistribution Strategy (GEAR).

With the possible exception of victim support, most of the social programs envisaged by the NCPS never came to fruition.

Law enforcement – 2000 National Crime Combating Strategy (NCCS) *

The 1996 National Crime Prevention Strategy was largely drafted by a panel of civilians and was widely distributed for comment. The NCCS, on the other hand, was produced in-house by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and has never been issued as a public document. The NCPS was, in theory, an interdepartmental policy, while the NCCS is explicitly a security cluster matter.

These differences are indicative not only of the shift towards an overtly law enforcement approach to crime reduction but also of the pressure to respond quickly – which partly explains the lack of consultation and the NCCS’s focus on the police.

Adapted from the ISS’s “Crime and Crime Prevention in South Africa: 10 Years After“

The up to 55 day interest free period

When you pay the full outstanding amount on your DiscoveryCard by the due date, you enter an interest free period, referred to as a 55 day interest free period, since there are a maximum of 55 days that any given transaction can be interest free.

For example:

If you make a purchase on the first day of your billing cycle, the statement will close 30 days later following which you have 25 days to your due date. If you pay the full outstanding balance on the due date, then you have enjoyed interest free credit for 55 days for that purchase.

If you make a purchase on the day your statement closes, then you have 25 days to your due date. If you pay the full outstanding balance on the due date, then you have enjoyed interest free credit for 25 days for that purchase.

To be in a 55 day interest free period, and therefore for interest not to be charged to your account, payment must be received for the full closing balance of the statement, before the due date.

We confirm that you need to settle the full outstanding amount on your account in order to enjoy the up to 55 days interest free period. This will prevent interest being charged on your account unless where applicable such as cash ttransactions.

So as examples:
If I buy something on 20 of January, I have just under a month until the next statement, then I have about 25 days to pay the money back without incurring interest.

However, if I buy something on 15 January, I the statement close in the next couple of days and I have about 25 days to pay the money back without incurring interest.

Certain transactions attract interest immediately

Interest will be charged immediately from the transaction date for the following transactions, unless there is a sufficient credit balance in your account to settle the transaction amount:

• Cash withdrawals with the credit card
• Travelers’ cheque purchases with the credit card and certain FOREX transaction
• Electronic funds transfers which result in a debit balance on your account
• All budget facility transactions and balance transfers
• Fuel or fuel-related transactions on the DiscoveryMotor card
• Transfers from the straight facility to the Medical Saving Booster.

Interest rates

Your account was opened in 2005 under the Usury Act. The interest rates applicable to your account [were] effective 26 November 2010. This is as a result of the National Credit Act.

Download the “Project Reclaim” Dossier here.

See the DA press release and the Politics Web coverage.

Firstly, to the resident who SMS’d last week about the derelict house in Somerset Ave, the formal processes for remedy have been exhausted and the issue has now been handed over to the enforcement team for action to be taken against the property owner. Unfortunately these things do take time but you can rest assured that in the background the cogs are moving.

To the land owners in Essex and Enfield roads who are working to clean up their derelict buildings, thank you very much for doing your bit to rid this community of grime and contribute to our efforts to combat crime. With the support of eThekwini officials we are also following up on other derelict houses including those in Evans Rd, Davenport Ave, Macdonald Rd and Bartle Rd.

You might ask what it is that you can do as a member of this community, or any other for that matter, to contribute to cleaning up and improving safety? In short, you can help in one of two areas: crime and grime. Combating crime is only effective when the community partners with SAPS, and getting involved with the Community Policing Forum is the most effective way of achieving that. Neighbourhood watches which work in conjunction with the CPF are another. Ridding our community of grime makes criminals feel less at home, and when we feel safer to be out and about in our numbers, we reduce the spaces in which criminals operate. We do this by maintaining our buildings, keeping vacant plots and bushes under control, cleaning our parks, and ensuring our public infrastructure is in a good state of repair.

You can help by taking initiative where you see a problem to either mobilise community members and tackle the problem ourselves or to work with public officials to find a solution. We have much to do in both combating crime and ridding our community of grime but a collective desire to improve will ensure we see the change we need. Inch by inch, with the support of community members, we will make Umbilo and Glenwood among the safest and most friendly places to live in eThekwini.

Warwick Chapman, Ward Councillor for Glenwood and Umbilo