- Eddie Botha

I EARLIER raised the question whether building inspectors have any teeth. And if they have, do they ever show them?

Rob Penhall, who retired in Gonubie, has been waging an ongoing paper war with Buffalo City Municipality's development planning department over his neighbour's building activities. Or should I say, his former neighbour, as the house next door has since been sold to new owners.

I'm not going to debate the Penhall saga. As a matter of fact, I think Craig Sam's department has satisfactorily dealt with all the issues raised by Penhall.

One thing however bothers me. Penhall claims that his first neighbour, who built a double garage on the property, did not obtain proper approval for the construction. Penhall also doubts whether there are proper foundations for the garage.

A June letter last year, written by Sam and signed by Brian Barrett, states that "unfortunately all the concern raised in your letter could not be resolved solely in terms of the National Building Regulations enforced by this department".

On July 23 the Sam/Barrett combo again write: "Although the trenches were not inspected by the Building Inspector prior to the casting of concrete as required in terms of the NBR, the Building Inspector firmly believes this to be a genuine omission on the part of the owner and not an attempt to evade the intent of the regulations..."

Five months later the two gentlemen say that "in so far as the Building Control Branch is concerned it must once again be reiterated that although the foundation trenches were not inspected by the Building Inspector prior to the casting of concrete as required in terms of the NBR, the Building Inspector has been assured by both the owner and his builder that foundations indeed do exist and that this was a genuine omission on their part..." Blah blah blah.

On June 9 of this year, and probably gatvol of Penhall's continuing barrage of letters, it is now the turn of the department's Chris de Jager to deal with the matter.

He says the standard procedures in a case where already constructed illegal building work has been identified has been followed. That means the offender (the previous owner) was ordered to provide the local authority with plans or demolish the structure. The plans were submitted and approved.

However, the foundations could not be inspected.

"In such an instance the offender can be called upon to expose the foundations..."

De Jager also mentions that the (previous) owner has assured the department that foundations have been laid.

But notwithstanding that, he says, "the current owner has been requested to expose a section of the foundations- Should there be no foundation it will be so recorded and monitored. Should the walls then show signs of failure, the owner will be required to rectify the fault."

I pity the new owner. Why should he or she be saddled with this problem when the department was aware that the existence of foundations had been questioned? Why accept the word of the previous owner, and not that of the new owner?

And if the walls show signs of failure, who will be held responsible?

Has the new owner exposed a section of the foundation? It's been two months since De Jager wrote the letter.

Has a foundation been laid as the previous owner promised. And if not, what then?

Candle power

While I questioned Buffalo City councillor John Badenhorst over the increased electricity tariffs, he received a wrapped package.

It turned out to be an invitation by local electronics manufacturer Vektronix to the launch of solar prepaid units for which Vektronix builds printer circuit boards.

To stress the importance of solar power, Vektronix included a candle as a PR gimmick.

After the electricity increases I am sure Badenhorst will first use the candle until he too resorts to solar power.

Municipal power

Boris Grobler does not need solar power.

After writing last week that the street light in front of Becker's house on the West Bank had not been working for more than 12 years, I received a call from Grobler. On Monday the light was repaired. It was like Christmas Eve.

Grobler says some of his neighbours even came to look at the light. Some of the children had never seen it burning before.

A big thanks to the municipality's engineering department. You've really lightened up someone's life!

Omnipresent

Pity us journalists. Mthatha colleague Luxolo Tyali, who covered a visit by Premier Nosimo Balindlela and Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau, was asked also to get a copy of a speech to be made at the same time by Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge.

If you cannot attend the deputy minister's speech, you cannot get a copy of the speech, he was told.

No way to make friends and influence people, I would say.

First come, first served

Why would Social Development Deputy Minister Jean Benjamin and Deputy Speaker Gwen Mahlangu owe Star Travel Bureau owner Graham Geduldt any money? According to reports on the Scorpions' probe of alleged abuse of parliamentary travel vouchers, Mahlangu has admitted that Geduldt once deposited money into her account but claimed it was repayment of money due to her. Benjamin said Geduldt deposited R10000 into her account for a loan she had made to Geduldt.

Why is Isobel Tilley of the Airport Shuttle company not so lucky to have a friend like Geduldt?

Instead he writes to her that "due to the bad media (who else!!) coverage we have been having (whose fault?), Star Travel Bureau is in a difficult financial situation". He'll only be ably to pay monies owed to the Airport Shuttle later.

By the way, geduld is the Afrikaans word for "patience"!