Habitat for Humanity build

Cartoon for the St Johns Parish Profile

Cartoon for Absa bank

right on the nose

holiday pinch

Editorial cartoon for the People's Post

9th Dec 2008

the right drugs

Testing device to nail drugged drivers on the spot Editorial cartoon for the People's Post
adri-ann peters

SOUTH AFRICA’s first mobile drug-testing device, which was launched last week, has been tasked with identifying drugged-up drivers abusing the roads.
The DrugAlyzer DrugWipe device, which is used internationally, was revealed to South Africans on Tuesday as a prelude to its use by the Western Cape Department of Community Safety.
Cheryl Roberts, spokesperson for Community Safety MEC Patrick McKenzie, could not confirm when exactly the department’s two drug testers, worth R25 000 each, would be put to work on regional roads.
But, at the launch event in Voortrekker Road, Salt River, McKenzie confirmed that authorities would make use of the devices at roadblocks during the department’s Safer Summer Season programme, which kicks off this month.
The drug testing device – a product of Trimega Diagnostics, a South African-based company that specialises in the procurement and development of diagnostic testing devices – will be used to determine whether or not a driver has used drugs. The instrument does this by testing a sample of the person’s saliva or sweat for the presence of various narcotic substances.
The test can be performed in less than six minutes. Should the candidate’s driving be hampered and his or her test prove positive, their blood can in future be sent for sampling, and the result presented as evidence in court.
Drugs detectable by the device include dagga, tik, cocaine, and numerous opiates.
Trimega Diagnostics, together with the department, carried out 22 research roadblocks across the country between April and November this year. Tests showed that 28% of those who took alcohol breath tests failed, and 14% of those who took drug tests also showed high blood-alcohol levels.
Of the candidates who tested positive for alcohol, 19% also tested positive for drugs, read the research report presented by the company.
Superintendent Pierre van der Riel, station commissioner of the Woodstock Police Station, highlighted drug testing as one of the challenges of policing. He said procedures currently in place rely mainly on the testimony of police officers, who must personally testify that a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs had not been in full control of their vehicle while on the road.
Van der Riel said doing so is “not always easy”. The driver suspected of the crime would typically be taken to the nearest doctor to be tested. Van der Riel welcomed any tool that could assist officers in putting drugged drivers behind bars.
With the country heading towards the festive season, McKenzie said that hundreds of roadblocks are planned for the next few months. “We are aware of a significant number of accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol, and although no official figures exist, drugged motorists are also guilty,” he said at the launch.
While the Department of Justice and the Director of Public Prosecutions work towards adopting appropriate legislation to formally incorporate the use of the drug-testing device, its use will in the meantime help the department determine the extent of drugged driving in the province, and raise awareness of the wrongs of driving under the influence of drugs.
According to a comprehensive privately-funded report prepared by Trimega Diagnostics to accompany the launch, the current National Road Traffic Act of 1996 does not permit, among other things, equipment to be used to screen for drug-use on South African roads . Another section of the act also informs that a person may not refuse a blood or breath test to determine their alcohol intake. “Unfortunately this does not apply to any other type of test, e.g. a saliva or urine test,” the report continues.
Meanwhile, the department warns that motorists found to be “visibly affected by drugs” to the detriment of their driving will in the meanwhile be prosecuted on the basis of impaired driving, Roberts said. Should the test result prove that a candidate has administered an illegal substance, but driving has not necessarily been negatively affected, the person will be engaged on the dangers of drug use so that awareness can be raised around the issue.

16 days of activism

Editorial cartoon for the People's Post 25th November 2008

engen

Cartoon for a safety brochure.

money pit

Chapman's Peak remains closed after more than three months while
South Peninsula residents remain the victims of an inadequate road system, in part because the Chapman's Peak concessionaire apparently have no incentive to open the road as government guarantees to cover operational, managerial and contingent costs.

Editorial cartoon for the People's Post 18th November 2008

do that little bit extra

Cartoon for Absa Bank

ridding us of drugs

editorial cartoon for The People's Post 11th November 2008

High expectations set for anti-gang project

GANGS will be a thing of the past if a recent programme launched by the Department of Community Safety achieves its goals – but community organisations say success is unlikely.
The aim of the project is to reduce opportunities for gang expansion, offer “alternative options” to affected communities, and prevent and reduce the factors that drive young people into gangs.
According to Community Safety MEC Patrick McKenzie, what makes the programme unique is that various departments will “work holistically” to do effectively what “many never could achieve”.
“Instead of each separate sector working on its own, we think that by joining forces, this project will reach its full potential. It will be a partnership between the police, national intelligence, the national prosecuting authority, Metro Police and the South African Revenue Services, which will work towards combating the scourge of gangsterism, as well as bring high fliers to book.”

Extract from article by Tammy Petersen of The People's Post

The first Mama Taxi Collection has collided with the shelves this week!
Look out for it at a good bookstore near you or on Kalahari.net

voter registration

Make sure you are registered to vote

THE ANC supports the call of the Independent Electoral Commission for all citizens to register as voters during the Registration Weekend, 8 and 9 November. Democracy is built on the right of all citizens to vote. We fought for this over many painful years and won it in 1994.
Those eligible to vote in 2009 for the first time, persons who did not register in the past and people newly moved into the area, should register now.Extract from a letter from ANC Cissie Gool Branch Ward 59

Editorial cartoon for The People's Post

pogo grant

Cartoon for Absa Bank

All roads lead to 2010

PROJECTS worth billions of rands are currently steaming ahead to ensure that residents and visitors can travel to their destinations safely and effectively during the time of the Soccer World Cup in 2010.
Projects include improvements to Cape Town International Airport, stations and highways in the Cape metropole and outlying areas, new bus services, and better facilities and routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
In Cape Town itself, work is under way to ensure that thousands of soccer supporters and revellers can move safely on foot and bicycle from the Cape Town Station and the viewing site on the Parade to the Waterfront and new Green Point Stadium.
Various streets will be closed to traffic, while limited pedestrian traffic will be permitted on others. One of the streets in which only limited vehicle traffic will be permitted is Waterkant Street.
This street is not only being jazzed up with trees, but will also be transformed into a cyclist and pedestrian route that will be linked to Somerset Way with a bridge and controlled crossing over Buitengracht Road.
A three-metre-wide cyclist lane, as well as a three-metre-wide pedestrian path, will be developed along Somerset Way to Three Anchor Bay so that spectators and residents can reach the stadium safely. Also under development are a second cyclist and pedestrian route from the station over North Wharf Square, Coen Steytler Avenue; a cyclist and pedestrian bridge over the inbound lanes of Buitengracht, and a controlled ground-level crossing over the outbound lanes of Buitengracht to the Waterfront and ultimately the stadium.

THEUNS VAN DER WESTHUIZEN People's Post 28th October 2008

the great bunny escape

Editorial cartoon for The People's Post 21st October 2008

no limit

Editorial cartoon for The People's Post 14th October 2008

Draft Animal Bylaw: more bark than bite?

THERE seems to be a great deal of confusion around this bylaw [the draft Animal Bylaw]. Who drafted it? Why? And what does the process of public participation involve?
Bylaws in the city arise out of policy discussions in multi-party portfolio committees. The mayor has nothing to do with their formulation until the bylaw reaches the mayoral committee and full council after the public participation process.
The City of Cape Town is an amalgamation of seven former separate local authorities, each of which had its own animal bylaw. There were also still three animal bylaws from the former municipal councils dating back to 1964. It is impossible to administer ten different bylaws across the city. As a result, there must be one consolidated bylaw. This bylaw is the first draft to achieve this outcome.
The proposed limit on the number of pets per property is also nothing new. Each of the previous bylaws limited the number of dogs and cats per property (in common with similar legislation across the world). Nine of the existing bylaws set the limit of dogs and cats per property at two of each. Only the old Cape Town administration dog bylaw allowed for three of each.
The portfolio committee, with the full support of all parties, proposed the “two-dogs-two-cats” limitation for the consolidated single draft bylaw for Cape Town.
There is no truth in the rumours that people will be required to “put down” their pets. Furthermore, if anyone wants to own more than two dogs and two cats, they will be able to apply for a permit to do so. If they meet the criteria, designed in part for the welfare of the animals concerned, they will be able to own more dogs and cats.
Public participation is an important part of the process of passing all bylaws, including the draft Animal Bylaw. The public participation phase began in June already. Four months of public input have been allowed, in addition to a workshop through the City Wide Forum, and the emailing of the bylaw to over 70 animal welfare organisations and animal activists. They had contacted the city before then, indicating their interest in the matter. This is in addition to numerous press releases and newspaper ads.
The bylaw was also referred to over 1 000 community organisations through all the ward forums, as well as to the subcouncils for comment.
For members of the public who would like to submit comment, a copy of the draft bylaw is available on the city’s website at the following address: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/ByLaws/Pages/Draft_by-laws.aspx. Within the next few days it will be available in hard copy at city libraries and subcouncil offices.
The public can submit their comments or proposed amendments to the draft bylaw by writing to Mr Richard Bosman at Private Bag X4, Parow, 7499 – or via email to richard.bosman@capetown.gov.za – by Thursday 30 October.
Everyone has rights in a city, and legislation involves a careful balancing of competing rights. This is what we are trying to get right in this case.

Robert Macdonald
Spokesperson for the mayor of Cape Town

bad news

"Dog ingests 13 rubber dummies" Editorial cartoon for the People's Post 7th October 2008

rubiks fix

Editorial cartoon People's Post 30th September 2008

POLICE commissioners across the Cape Peninsula are again being moved between stations, with Claremont, Camps Bay, Diep River and Pinelands police stations to soon come under new leadership. The provincial police office communica?ted the moves to affected station commissioners last week. As in years gone past, no official communication was directed by the provincial office to the media and People's Post discovered the far-reaching changes through its own accord. The provincial police office also did not provide specific reasons for the changes, but rather provided what has become a somewhat stock answer to the newspaper's enquiries on this matter over the years: "The process seeks to address service delivery, strengthen police stations and at the same time recognise the expertise and experience of individual members". Peole's Post 30th Sept 2008

wanted

Editorial cartoon for the People's Post 23rd September 2008

THE City of Cape Town has released its list of top ten private vehicle motorists who owe it oodles of money in unpaid traffic fines. The current most wanted traffic offender on Cape Town's roads has more than R33 600 of outstanding warrants of arrest against his or her name. The motorist drives a Toyota with registration CA 695 302 20. "The motorist, whose address is unknown, amassed the traffic fines over a period of two years, mainly for speeding, illegal parking and other traffic offences," says Principal Inspector Merle Lourens, spokesperson for Cape Town Traffic Services. There are 348 outstanding warrants against the top ten offenders, totalling R155 000.

The one that got away, or rather didn't get away, but wasn't published due to it's graphic nature

Umshini braai

Editorial cartoon for the People's Post 16th September 2008

OBE

Editorial cartoon People's Post 9th September 2008

FOR years now, teachers have been calling for the scrapping of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). Last week, a group of teachers met at South Peninsula High School to voice their dissatisfaction with the system. A sentiment echoed by many was that OBE was a flawed education system that has failed internationally and is creating a generation of children who may know how to socialise, colour in, and cut and paste, but can't read or write properly. This, say learners and teachers alike, will result in OBE graduates feeding the high unemployment numbers and the low income work force. What it won't do, is create fully rounded intellectuals who can think for themselves. The teachers will now mobilise colleagues and learners and their parents to take the call for the scrapping of OBE to Education Minister Naledi Pandor.

spring switch

Editorial cartoon, People's Post 2nd September 2008

spring olympics

Editorial cartoon People's Post 27th August 2008

MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER is Spring Day and in celebration of the new season’s arrival, a Spring Splash will be held on Fish Hoek beach.
If you’re the type of person who can’t wait for summer, you should be on Fish Hoek beach this Sunday, 31 August, at 15:30 to show just how much life you’ve got in you.
Held for the first time last year, the Spring Splash separates the men from the boys, as it were.
The water temperature this time of year is certainly not for the faint of heart.
All are invited to take the plunge!

eyesore

IF YOU fail to remove graffiti sprayed on your property or plan to erect a barb wire fence on your boundary wall, then you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law, according to a draft bylaw and policy recently compiled by the City of Cape Town.
A draft policy regulating boundary walls and fences and a draft by law aimed at stamping out unauthorised graffiti are two measures, which could potentially affect every homeowner. In their current form, they raise ethical questions as to whether council has the right to dictate standards, which in some instances are subjective in nature and arguably informed by practical considerations.
Boundary walls are considered to form part of municipal planning and in terms of Section 156 of the Constitution, the Council has the legal authority to make and enforce by laws regarding their administration.
With regards to the draft policy regulating boundary walls and fences, there is to be no razor or barbed wire in residential areas.

Stephen Kihn People's Post 19/08/08

something fishy

Editorial cartoon for The Peoples Post 12/08/08