Come on guys, you can do better

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Dr Sooliman from the Gift Of The Givers must the respect the rules and standards the home affairs department must apply. His quest for compassion for the Palestinian refugees on an aeroplane cannot be a reason for rules to b­e broken. Home affairs and related agencies must be consistent or we shall become a banana republic. – Annonymous

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Why are municipal swimming pools that we pay for always closed when you want to use them. Lieutenant King on the Bluff and Oonagh Witsitt in Morningside are just two. The Bluff pool has been closed for more than 6 month of this year already and probably won’t be usable until just before the municipal elections next year – if residents are lucky. We are always hearing about how well Cape Town is run under the DA. Well, what is the DA councillor doing about our swimming pools and, what has she been doing? Where is Gugu of the municipality who has a lot to say and only ever says nice things about her bosses. Time to vote them out and get rid of their sorry faces. We need people who can fix things and deliver on their promises regularly – not once every four years!! – Disgusted Berea

DAILY NEWS

Your letters

Lightning does strike twice – ask me

In a matter of three weeks I was mugged twice in the same spot in central Durban! I had to take my wife to the GEPF offices in Salmon Grove Chambers in Anton Lembede Street, formerly Smith Street. I parked in front of the building and waited for my wife.

While I sat in my car I watched with interest the parade of humanity going up and down the pavement. Every now and then a scavenger would come along and rummage in the bin for scraps of food, bottles and cans. Surprisingly no one was littering. I also noticed that nearly everyone was walking around with a cell phone in his/her hand.

Everybody felt safe as groups of Metro police officers were doing their morning rounds. But as the morning wore on, the foot patrol came to a dwindle and finally disappeared altogether. Then I noticed a strange thing happening to my car.

The lights on the dashboard were flicking. I went outside to check the headlamps. They were also flicking. I went back inside and tried to lock the door. It wouldn’t I tried to start the car. But it also wouldn’t. I was puzzled. How could the battery go flat?

Then suddenly two men appeared, one on the driver’s side and the other on the passenger side. The guy on the drivers side opened the door and wanted my cell phone. The other guy showed me a knife and said, ‘ Cell phone or the knife!’

While I looked petrified the guy on the driver’s side lunged forward and grabbed my cellphone. In the blink of an eye they mingled with the crowd and were gone. I was distraught. No one came to help. I had to get a tow truck to boost my battery.

Three weeks later we had to go back to the GEPF offices. This time we went early. Though I was worried, I reassured myself that it would not happen again. In any case, I was more careful. I hid the new phone and looked the doors. But I had to keep the windows open a little as it was a blistering hot day. Again when the police disappeared, the lights began to flicker and three men appeared next to my car.

They tried to open the door but fortunately it would not. The thief on my side pushed his hand thorough the narrow window opening and tried to grab the ignition key. But I managed to stop him and they vanished as quickly as they had appeared. I was traumatised How could it happen again? Have I become an easy target for criminals in my old age -- robbed at an ATM and robbed of a cell phone twice?

Again my car wouldn’t start. Fortunately some kind construction workers nearby helped me to boost the car. Strangely a Metro police officer appeared while we were trying to boost the car. Yet he was no where to be seen when the thieves were trying to mug me. Unsympathetic of my plight, he gave me a ticket for not displaying my licence! He was merely doing his duty. Seems like when the police are away, the thieves come out to play.

As evil as apartheid was, we could still go to town without any fear of being mugged and robbed. What’s the use of democracy if I cannot walk freely in the town I once loved to go every week?Some will counter that you can also get mugged in London. But it’s no where as serious as it is in our country.

Democracy has failed miserably here. I’d rather be in hell than in a democracy overrun by thieves, criminals and the corrupt elite. | Thyagaraj Markandan Kloof

Bouquets and brickbats to airlines

OUR airlines deserve credit for embracing WhatsApp as a channel for issuing boarding passes and basic travel updates.

It’s fast, familiar, and reflects how most South Africans already communicate. But while these early steps prove WhatsApp’s potential; they also expose a larger problem: our airlines are stopping just short of true innovation.

The current systems aren’t powered by AI; travelers can’t ask about baggage, check flight status, resolve issues, or even book a trip through the chat. These limitations create friction, frustrate, and hold businesses back from the full competitive advantage that smarter automation can unlock.

Across markets like Brazil and India, WhatsApp is an end-to-end service platform; handling transactions, identity verification, and real-time support. South Africa is just as digitally fluent, yet many local companies still treat WhatsApp as a novelty instead of essential infrastructure.Airlines should be leading the shift to AI-powered smartbots that integrate with booking systems, payment providers, CRMs, and operations. Imagine being able to book a flight, pay, receive updates, track baggage, and give feedback in one continuous conversation.

Or a parent checking; instantly and automatically; whether their child’s flight has landed. That’s the kind of confidence and convenience consumers actually want.

If South African airlines aim higher, WhatsApp could transform from a digital noticeboard into a true travel ­companion; and give our local carriers a global edge. | Jonathan Elcock Cape Town

DAILY NEWS