Taking Back The Night - Grocott's Mail

4 EditorialGrocott’s Mail Tuesday, 27 April 2010Liberty and ProgressEstablished 1870The indiginityof inequalityToday is Freedom Day, the day wecelebrate the first democratic electionsin this country. On this day in1994, apartheid came to an end as all SouthAfricans, of all races, could finally votetogether as one nation for the first time.The day is important because a completelynew set of values, based on equality for allcitizens, became the guiding principles ofour new democracy. At the heart of theseprinciples, that were ultimately enshrinedin our Constitution, is the restoration andpreservation of human dignity.Apartheid was, more than anything else,an affront to human dignity.However, when South Africans casttheir votes on 27 April 1994, it did not automaticallybestow dignity on all citizens. Itguaranteed political equality and openedthe door to other human rights. Chaptertwo of the Bill of Rights in the South AfricanConstitution recognises that “Everyone hasinherent dignity and the right to have theirdignity respected and protected.”Yet in spite of the prominent place thisright enjoys in the Constitution, the dignityof millions of South Africans is notrespected and protected. Those who do nothave access to clean water, sanitation andhousing cannot say they live dignified lives.On the front page of this newspaperthere is a photograph of several hundredpeople protesting against those who deprivethem and millions of others of anotherfundamental right contained in the Constitution– the right to freedom and security.They felt they had to “take back the night”– if only for a few hours – because the nightis still owned by those who commit rape andother forms of violence against women.Section 12 of the Bill of Rights unequivocallysays that, “Everyone has the rightto freedom and security of person, whichincludes the right… c) to be free from allforms of violence from either public orprivate sources.”Clearly the thousands of women whosurvive sexual violence in this country donot enjoy this right.How can we be proudly South Africanwhen schoolgirls are gang-raped on ourstreets?South Africa’s Oldest Independent NewspaperIncorporating The Grahamstown Journal(1831 – 1920) Vol. 141 No. 30Published by the David Rabkin Project for ExperientialJournalism Training (Pty) Ltd, 40 High Street, Grahamstown,6139Printed by PaarlcoldsetTelephone: 046 622 7222 • Fax: 046 622 7282/3Website: www.grocotts.co.zaE-MAIl ADDrESSESNews: editor@grocotts.co.zaWebsite: online@grocotts.co.zaAdvertising: adverts@grocotts.co.za or ronel@grocotts.co.zaSport: sport@grocotts.co.zaletters: letters@grocotts.co.zaGeneral Manager: l.vale@grocotts.co.zaEDITOrIAlEditor: Steven LangNews Editor: Abongile MgaqelwaNew Media Editor: Michael SalzwedelStaff reporters: Prudence Mini, Andile NayikaStaff Photographer/reporter: Stephen PenneyGeneral Manager: Louise ValeAdvertising Manager: Ronél BowlesGrocott’s Mail is published by theDavid Rabkin Project for ExperientialJournalism, a company wholly ownedby Rhodes University. The contentsof this newspaper do not necessarilyrepresent the views of either body.Police museum will be arrested developmentIsmail MahomedIrefer to Willem Makkink’s letter in Grocott’s Mail(Tuesday 20 April) in which he raises the questionof the Old Gaol being converted to a prisonmuseum and placing Grahamstown as the firstSouth African city to have a prison museum.Firstly, this idea does not take into considerationthat the state’s stretched out budget for arts,culture and heritage is currently having a severe impacton the stability and maintenance of so manySouth African museums. One would only need totake a walk down to the Albany Museum in SomersetStreet to talk to its management to hear aboutthe funding challenges facing the museum sectorin South Africa. Sourcing funding for educationalprogrammes is a major challenge that is faced bymany museums nationally and internationally.Secondly, the assumption that Grahamstownwould house the only prison museum in SouthAfrica is not correct.At the Constitution Court precinct in Johannesburg,the Women’s Jail and the Number 4Dogs, nuisance andthe lawI was saddened by your reader’s letter reportingpets killed by marauding dogs in theHillsview Road area. We lost a cat this wayon our property in Hillsview Road a few yearsago. This is part of a wider problem causedby owners of dogs who do not control themresponsibly. It is a privilege to keep an animalin a residential area which is accompaniedby the responsibility that the animal doesnot cause a nuisance to other residents orlegitimate users of the surrounding streets.It is a principle of common law that propertyowners have the right to enjoy their propertywithout neighbours causing nuisance in theform of noise or threats to safety. In the caseof animals, this principle is extended by theby-laws relating to the keeping of animals,birds and poultry and business involving thekeeping of animals, birds, poultry or pets:Makana Municipality.In terms of this bylaw it is a criminal offenceto allow a dog to cause a nuisance in theform of uncontrolled barking, roaming outsidethe boundaries of one’s property, defecating ina public area, or causing a danger to pedestrians,cyclists and vehicles or to other people’spets.There are three ways to address thesekinds of nuisance problems. First, if they arereported to the municipality's parks and recreationdepartment, the municipality will informthe offender of the offence. There is, however,little or no follow-up except in extreme cases,because the municipality has limited capacityto address this area of public health properly.The second route is to report it at thepolice station.The police have the responsibility toinvestigate the matter and pass the case onto the public prosecutor. This may take sometime but is a way to ensure that the offenderbecomes aware of the offence.The third route is to bring a civil actionagainst the offender. Unfortunately this islikely to be costly as it will incur legal fees,although if the suit is successful the offenderwould be liable for the costs.The municipality should exercise betterleadership in the area of nuisance caused byanimals. I would also like to see the universityget involved. Rhodes should be concernedabout the wider environment in which theirstaff and students live. I am also surprisedthat the hospitality industry does not takeorganised action. B&Bs sell a night’s sleep butif they are surrounded by barking dogs thentheir product is diminished.I hope that in the long term these stakeholderswill act to address this serious problemin our city. Until that happens, however,it will be up to individuals to open cases withthe police in terms of the bylaw. Perhaps agroup of affected people could form an interestgroup and work together to ensure that aseries of criminal cases are brought againstoffenders.David EdwardsMalema vs ANCPlease allow me a space to express my viewsabout this defiant saga of Julius Malematowards the leadership of the ANC.Two weeks back the Court of Justiceruled against the singing of the controversialso-called song (containing the phrase: “Killthe farmer, kill the boer”) by Malema. Withina day, the ANC spokesperson announced thatthey were going to appeal against the courtverdict. Meanwhile Malema visited Zimbabweand made mockery of the court order bycontinuing with the singing of this song withthe ZanuPF. He also rubbished the Zimbabweopposition party, interfering in other countries’internal affairs.When he was approached by newspapersabout the death of the AWB leader, the lateEugene Terre’Blanche, he said: “Do not askme about that thing, I am in Zimbabwe.”Malema should have some form of decencyand show respect and sympathy towards theTerre'Blanche family. I know Malema is poorlyeducated (he only attained Grade 11) accordingto the newspapers. Most South Africansare against his song as we know very wellthat without one another (black and white)this country will go down the drain, just likeZimbabwe.The State President has spoken outagainst these so-called songs, but to me heshould include his favourite slogan MshiniWam’ as both songs carry the same message– that of motivating people to go to war. Arewe still at war and, if so, with whom?As far as I am aware, Malema was nevera leader. In fact he was elected by those whowant to use him as their ignorant stooge, tocreate their opportunistic ways so they can filltheir big tummies.I wish they could remember 11 March1990, when Mandela made a major appeal toall South Africans: “Fellow South African comrades,let's take all our weapons and throwthem to the sea and negotiate the peacefulfuture for our country.”Write to: The Editor, PO Box 103 Grahamstown 6140Fax to: 046 622 7282Prison in the Old Fort have both been convertedinto museums. Winnie Mandela, the late ProfFatima Meer and the notorious husband killingDaisy de Melker were detained at the women’sprison. Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, JoeSlovo, Bram Fischer, Albert Luthuli and RobertSobukwe were imprisoned at the Number 4 Prisonin the Old Fort. And in Pretoria, the Police Museumofficially opened in September 1968, includes adisplay of the police uniforms, insignia and medals;an exhibition of the modes of transport usedby the police; and various photographic exhibitions.In any event, what would a prison museumwithout any funding for curatorial staff, archivaldisplays and education programmes have to offer?Perhaps, a few empty cells with plaques dedicatedto the many South African criminals who manageto fool both the judicial and criminal justice system?And perhaps the courtyard in the Old Gaoldedicated to Grahamstown’s visionaries who sopassionately and nostalgically campaign for the arresteddevelopment of Grahamstown?Run as a backpackers, the Old Gaol mighthave its operational flaws but more than 1 000 internationalvisitors who have either stayed at thebackpackers or shared memorable moments in itsprecinct certainly can’t be all fools. There is a growinginternational trend in the youth tourism marketthat is increasingly seeking out cost effectiveplaces to sleep at so that they could spend moreof their disposable income on enjoying the social,cultural, educational and inspirational experiencesthat a city primes as its premiere tourism product.The Old Gaol Backpackers caters significantly forthis market that leaves behind their dollars, euros,pounds and rands in many of the places inGrahamstown.While there has been much discussion aboutthe possible closure of the Old Gaol Backpackersthere have been hardly any questions raised aboutthe educational centre that will take its place. Whatconnections will be drawn between the educationalprogrammes on offer and the economic landscapeof Grahamstown?The Old Gaol has done much to change thenegative perceptions of this city. When the multiculturalvoices resonate against its walls and themulti-cultural feet pound on its floors as they danceto the rhythmic sounds of African drums, the ghostsof the past who inhabited the Old Gaol are laid torest forever. A city has every right to nostalgicallycelebrate its past but it has a greater responsibilityto allow its institutions to be inherited by futuregenerations.Email: letters@grocotts.co.zaI wish our leaders could enable this countryto flourish in a peaceful way.Guy Z TotoSMS082 049 2146The deplorable trashing ofour town has shown is thatwe are not taking recyclingseriously enough. So muchof what was on the streetsshould have been in recylingbags.>>>>>>>>>>There is a white bakkie onits roof on the field infront of The White Housebed and breakfast.>>>>>>>>>>I hope the municipal workersare not getting paidfor cleaning up the messthey made! Mike.>>>>>>>>>>Thanks to Ms Coetzee atHome Affairs for speedypassport application and anSMA 4 weeks later when itwas ready for collection.Great service!>>>>>>>>>>The locals who have beendumping their garbage inthe municipal garden refusecontainers are just as barbaricas the Samwu thugs.From nausea>>>>>>>>>>It is making me sick the waythen Rhodes main lib staffare making a noise while weare studying.Pseudonyms may be used, but all letters must be supported by a name, signature and street address. Preference will be given to letters which arenot longer than 400 words and are clearly legible. The editor reserves the right to edit or reject letters/photographs.