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The Brigadier and the Foot Soldiers

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I have lived in Ward 1 – Summerstrand for 35 years. Naturally, during this period I have seen many changes in how the suburb has been treated and governed by the local government. In the old days, when it was “Whites Only”, we had voluntary City Councillors (with no pay) serving us. But post 1994, things changed for the better and the demands on councillors became much more onerous.

As a consequence, the City Council became politicised and Summerstrand has experienced both ANC and DA representation during the past two decades.  The result, of course, has been that – in the DA at any rate – there has been an aggressive strategy involving many foot soldiers (councillors) and a group of commissioned officers. Some of the latter group were Majors, who in the correct tradition, functioned alongside the foot soldiers in the field. I am not sure whether Athol Trollip actually did perform this role as a field officer (perhaps the Herald, that has been so vocal lately, can provide us with Trollips’ CV in this regard). However, he was promoted, for whatever reasons, to the rank of Brigadier, to be based in Bisho. Now, as you know, brigadiers are not normally field officers. They tend to sit in the Officers’ Mess most of the time and occasionally pop into the ops-room to see how the boys at the coal front – the councillors – are doing. As I mentioned, I have been in Summerstrand for 35 years and have yet to know that Brig. Trollip was to visit our local foot soldier (Slabbert), let alone us poor peasants who actually were providing him – the Brig. – with something to fight for, and more importantly, the wherewithal to do so.

But like in all wars, it is the guys out front – foot soldiers – councillors – who have to face the brunt and take the battle forward. It is they who have to daily, no, hourly, deal with the demands of the peasant ratepayers and the political “enemy”.

While they are busy doing that though, the Brigadier is planning a new move. Having failed to attain promotion to General – in order to muster the troops in Parliament (he lost out to a much more competent lady) – he used another tactic. He decided to go royal. Just as in centuries ago, officers went to see the King (or Queen) in their hour of need, so Brig. Trollip went, cap and batton in one hand (as befits a man of his rank) and a conscription form in the other – to the befuddled King. What a triumph.

But every triumph is balanced by a tragedy. In this case the tragedy was that one of the foot soldiers stepped on a land mine. The explosion did not kill anyone else, but seriously dented the already tarnished image of the Brigadier. His colleagues in the Officers’ Mess in Bisho were not impressed with his organisational and professional skills.

Of course the Brig. had no choice but to leap into action and flay the already exploded foot soldier. What a brave officer he is – ready to take the flack and to shoulder the responsibility of his actions. Hence, when he announced the initial suspension of soldier Slabbert, he stated – according to the Herald – that he, the Brig. himself would deal with any problems the rate-paying peasants of Summerstrand might have.

Upon this invitation, I called Trollip regarding some issues concerning a fire hazard in our suburb. He informed me that, notwithstanding the DA’s suspension of Slabbert, the latter was not suspended as a Councillor and that I should in fact, direct any queries directly to him. Trollip mentioned in passing though, that he, the Brig. did not want this fact i.e. that Slabbert was not suspended as a councillor, to be made public because it would not be politically good for the DA. I was amazed at this hidden agenda – hidden by both the DA leadership and the media i.e. the Herald. There is no doubt in my mind that the Herald was aware of this situation but chose to hide it in its subsequent bid to flay Slabbert still further. The lack of integrity by both Trollip and the Herald are shocking.

Councillor Slabbert has been far-and-away the best City Council representative I have had the pleasure of dealing with in the past 35 years. He has always taken calls, responded immediately and produced positive results. As a ratepayer, I actually do not care which party my local representative belongs to, as long as he/she produces the goods. Slabbert has done that impeccably and hence, should he choose to contest the up-coming by-election as an independent, I will support him.

Regards

Bruce Robertson
Summerstrand Resident

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This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.