Loyal readers will be aware that the Chronicle often shies away from publishing consumer complaints.
These are matters where money is paid in exchange for a service that benefits an individual and not the general community.
Of course exceptions are made when it is a municipal service because public money is involved, and when there are large sums of money and a trail of victims. And so we did make an exception on two occasions over the past month. The first case saw a series of articles about a suspected illegal operation that lured residents into paying for building materials they never received.
The report revealed a number of trade names used by the perpetrators, and gave tips on how to avoid becoming a victim. A few weeks later, the suspect was arrested and appeared in court last Friday.
In another incident, two families had their house literally cleaned out by domestic workers provided by a cleaning service company which could not be traced. Subsequently, other companies in both industries felt the reports painted everyone providing a similar service with the same brush.
The owner of one cleaning service company even demanded that a story be published explaining that her business was above board. What they imply is that if someone in your line of business is suspected of running an illegal operation, it may not be reported as this would implicate you as well.
It’s a typical example of service providers looking only at their profits and interests at the expense of their clients. These are the same people who, if badly treated at a local supermarket, car dealership or petrol station, want the entire world to know and will go red in the face explaining why it warrants front page news.
But sorry, succumbing to such would mean failing to perform the role of a newspaper and bowing too easily to the man with the money.
kennedym@caxton.co.za

Speculation about the imminent attack on foreign nationals living in Mzansi has security forces on red alert.
But it is the masterminds of these attacks, and the proudly South African public, who should be extremely worried and ashamed. At a time when patriotism is at its peak following the greatest and most successful Fifa World Cup in history, some obviously un-proudly South Africans decided it would be the right time to strike. The timing points to anti-unity individuals whose heads are not properly screwed on. They opted to go out of their way and destroy everything the nation has built over the past couple of months. Perhaps most worrying is the fact that the so-called attacks are based on rumours with no substance or sign of origin and initiator.
For the information of the perpetrators, those of us who don’t mind sharing our beautiful country with foreign nationals living here legally will respect people who go public with their intentions.
They also owe the nation an explanation on the reasons for the attacks, and should invite the rest of us to debate whether killing foreign nationals is the way to go.
Had they been wiser and proudly South African enough, they would know that the solution to problems they have with foreign nationals lies in implementing tighter immigration laws and stricter border post control. This would result in only those foreign nationals with potential to add value to South Africa allowed through our borders. As for the killing, as well as seizing and destroying properties belonging to foreign nationals, that’s definitely not ayoba.
kennedym@caxton.co.za

Punchline is bewildered. Surely an award is for nothing less than an accomplishment with distinction?
Hence the confusion when an award was given to the much maligned city council revenue department for accomplishment with distinction in its implementation of one billing system run off a single IT platform (SAP).
One of the most under-performing departments in the municipality has miraculously excelled itself?
A highly questionable achievement for those up to date with civic politics.
What makes the honour more astonishing is this multimillion rand Project Phakama is seen in some quarters as the sole cause of erroneous billing and interim meter reading, causing a delay in monthly bills.
Just last week, the very same department was exposed for a bungle during the roll-out of Project Phakama that saw only 400 000 out of
960 000 Joburg households receive interim meter readings.
A massive blunder that will continue to set tongues wagging.
In the case of this award, even more flummoxing, is who played judge?
To avoid more flak an explanation is demanded, finish and klaar.
citybeat@caxton.co.za

Raise your hand if you didn’t just love ‘our’ World Cup.
The South African edition of the greatest sporting event on Earth was way beyond ordinary; truly a World Cup of surprises and miracles.
Firstly, when our beloved Bafana Bafana failed to get past the first round, they became the first host team to manage the feat. However, true to our ubuntu nature and contrary to what critics believe, bowing out after the first round was a well-calculated proudly South African plot to get our name into record books.
The boys in green and gold were in good company, as defending champions Italy and 1998 winners France also went out. In fact, not since 1974 have the Italians boarded a Rome-bound flight after the first round. Also on their way home was a certain team in white, blue and red strip
coached by an Italian whose fans thought they had the exclusive right to win the World Cup. For the second consecutive World Cup, the mighty Brazil were sent packing in the quarters. Then we had the Greeks who scored their first Fifa World Cup™ goal and recorded their inaugural World Cup win at the Free State Stadium on 17 June.
When the Swiss defeated Spain in their opening game, it was their first victory over the Spaniards. And for the first time in their history, the self-same Spaniards made their inaugural Fifa World Cup finals on South African soil. The surprises don’t end there.
Soccer City recorded the highest average World Cup attendance, beating the past record of 64 991 set during USA 94.
Give praise to the likes of Argentina and England for allowing the ‘4×4 specialists’, from the country bordering Holland and France among others, a morale-booster and letting them score the way they did. An even bigger record will tumble in the 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil™ when Bafana Bafana become the first African team to take the gold. May the patriotism and togetherness displayed during the World Cup remain with South Africans forever.
kennedym@caxton.co.za

In the past, city council apparatchiks have slammed news on the instability of their financial affairs.
They have done so despite evidence presented by the Democratic Alliance (DA), showing a worrying trend in inadequate collection of rates and taxes payments, which in the normal course of events would be followed by an inability to deliver required services.
In its defence, city council have cited its three unqualified audit reports in three successive years. Translated from business language into plain speak, this means their books are in order. Given the fact that at least one of the audits was conducted by Auditor-General Terence Nombembe, Punchline gave city council the benefit of the doubt. So, for now, let’s assume the audit reports were not cooked.
However, recent reports made by the DA that only 400 000 Joburg households out of 960 00 received interim meter readings (inaccurate though they may be) would seem to point to wrong billing as the order of the day. Apparently this was precipitated by the roll-out of the new multimillion rand IT system Project Phakama. Phakama is meant to be a user-friendly, integrated system, ensuring up to date, accurate billing. So much for that.
Punchline has dealt with so many cases of wrong billing that it has lost count, and only a few of these have been successfully resolved.
City council’s answer to frantic residents faced with  crazy bills is pay now, sort out the query later.
Please, someone explain the reasons for the inaccurate interim meter readings before Punchline gives Project Phakama a red card, finish and klaar.

citybeat@caxton.co.za

When people are employed to do a job, they must do just that.
The stakes are even higher if the employees in question have millions of ratepaying residents as their bosses. But sadly that’s not the case in the City of Johannesburg.
A classic example is Johannesburg Roads Agency spokesman Thulani Makhubela, who flatly refused to talk about potholes, saying ‘the issue has been dealt with already in Joburg’.
Perhaps our good friend should be forgiven, as most of the roads around the city centre where his office and those of other municipal departments are based, were resurfaced as part of work on the Rea Vaya infrastructure.
If Makhubela was a star performer of the week, his Joburg Water colleague Baldwin Matsimela took top honours.
Despite being informed of and having commented on water cuts in Craigavon in the past, the spin doctor denied any knowledge of such a complaint.
But this is the same man who, a few weeks ago, said the matter had been referred to the commercial loss section for investigation, as underground water was believed to be the problem.
Seemingly, our learned friends are enjoying the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ so much they forgot their duties and the happenings across their city.
If that’s the case, the sooner 11 July comes and the football feast ends the better, in order for the likes of Makhubela and Matsimela to regain their sanity.
kennedym@caxton.co.za

It’s almost over…
While those who have worked that little bit harder over these last few weeks may breathe a sigh of relief when the final whistle blows this weekend, one can’t help feeling a little sad.
A few years ago no one, not even us, thought we could do it. Six months ago nothing had changed. Then, as if a light was switched on, the city came alive, bursting with flags, songs, dances and a wave of yellow shirts. Even after the boys were thumped and many vowed to burn those shirts, most kept up the spirit and felt proud, if not a little disappointed, to walk out of the tournament heads held high. If anyone expected the flags to stop fluttering over houses or atop cars, they were mistaken. Mine certainly will remain until that final whistle blows.
The energy the tournament has brought to the normally apathetic streets of Joburg has been fantastic. What I’ll probably miss most is the little moments. No, this isn’t a Hallmark card. I’m talking about watching a Brazilian and Chilean supporter yell at each other in Spanish over the ecstatic blowing of a vuvuzela – only an hour after hearing Shosholoza sung in thick Spanish accents. Or grinning at the German visitor who decides to don a mirror-sock as a hat. And the joy of walking through Sandton City and silently hoping that Argentina and Brazil make it to the finals because it will mean their very good-looking supporters will be here a bit longer.
But my favourite moment has to be standing outside getting some fresh air in the square and being approached by two very South African guys with the oh so cool pick-up line of, ‘Where you from eh?’
‘Joburg, my bru.’

The 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa™ has been one massive jol. But winter chill aside, there have been some interesting titbits off the pitch.
Rewind to the Kick-Off Celebration Concert at Orlando Stadium when a spectator hurled unprintable words at Archbishop Desmond Tutu and called for Madiba to address the crowd instead.
Take for instance a group of intoxicated young men who camped in the media bus outside Soccer City complaining about the problems they had with South Africa, eventually leaving after police intervened.
Or an elderly English scribe who likened domestic workers at his World Cup residence to slavery, inequality and apartheid, and said this was a shame for a country with a history of racial tension. Being proud South Africans we were quick to put him in his place by pointing out that in Mzansi it was called job creation, and his views were insulting. During a trip to the Argentina vs Korea Republic clash, a bus driver had no clue how to reach Soccer City.
At Ellis Park the other night, a vendor approached the Sandton Chronicle scribes and offered to sell them earplugs. Wrong men; we love vuvuzelas extremely loud!
Then there are people who hang around stadiums wanting used match tickets to keep as collectors’ items. Sorry mates, World Cup mementos are vital to everyone. All in all, the feedback from foreign journalists has been good. And they love our stadiums, although most have slammed our non-existent public transport, as expected.
An American advertising executive advised the South African government to continue working towards improving public transport with projects such
as Gautrain and Rea Vaya even after
the World Cup has ended because ‘what we have seen on your roads is a disaster’. Hopefully, Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele is taking notes.
kennedym@caxton.co.za

The announcement by the city council that former taxi bosses will now own 100 percent of the bus operating company, Clidet, that will run and control the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Rea Vaya for phase 1A, is good news.
But the fact that city council and the new owners are reluctant to disclose the finer details concerning how much they stand to benefit from this business leaves a big question mark.
One can only hope that this is a good business deal that won’t turn sour soon, due to some bosses surrendering their taxis to the City of Joburg in exchange for shares in the company. Another concern is that no one has mentioned anything about who is going to be in charge of what, when and how they are going to take the bus company to greater heights.
Commuters can only hope that the local authority really means what it says and has done extensive research on this deal hailed as an historic milestone.
Commuters expect nothing less than quality public transport that is safe, fast, efficient and affordable, as promised every day by all spheres of government.
Here is to hoping that drivers and owners will run these quality buses efficiently and professionally and keep them clean and roadworthy at all times, failing which the city council will have to take back ownership. To those taxi owners who are still against BRT it’s time for introspection. Johannesburg is one of the fastest growing African world class cities and needs public transport transformation finish and klaar.
citybeat@caxton.co.za