Editor

May 26, 2008

Zululand OBSERVER

	Big cat attack Visiting and camping in the designated areas of the Zululand game parks is one of the delights for local residents, visitors and international tourists. That there have been incidents over the years involving violent interactions between humans and animals is part of the scenario. In some cases, the visitors were at fault when they left their vehicles and through ignorance came too close to elephants and rhinos, when attacks took place -sometimes with fatal consequences. On more rare occasions these animals have also launched attacks on vehicles. The case of Piet van der Walt of Richards Bay is in quite another category. He and his family were spending two nights at the world-famous Mpila camp in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, when he was attacked by a leopard and badly mauled one evening when he was sitting with his back to the bush tending a braai fire. Let it be added, the first attack of this nature at the popular venue. Quick action saved his life. Leopard attacks on humans are rare and are usually launched by old, injured or possibly rabid animals, which act contrary to their natural predatory patterns and seek easy prey. The Park authority is obviously looking into this attack and will inform the public of the outcome, if any. Recently in an unreported incident a young Dutch back-packer in St Lucia was stalked right into town by a large leopard, which was being observed by locals from a car parked at the town's northern entrance. Very reputable witnesses have reported leopards in the impenetrable outskirts of Richards Bay. We are grateful that Piet van der Walt lived to tell this remarkable tale, on which he can dine out for the rest of life. An important message here, however, is that when we find ourselves on wildlife's turf, never be too complacent. Dubbele belasting Belastings en prysverhogings van enige aard word nooit verwelkom nie en word dikwels met energieke weerstand van die kant van belastingbetalers begroet, soos nou in die geval van uMlalazi. Hierdie nuusblad is nie 'n voorstander van verhoogte belastings nie, maar 'n mate van gesonde perspektief is hier nodig. In die jaar 2000 is, in die geval van uMlalazi, 'n handvol dorpe deur nasionale wetgewing administratief bymekaar gevoeg wat in die ou bedeling elk hulle eie belastingstruktuur gehandhaaf het. Op 'n manier moes daar tussen hulle 'n belastingsewewig tot stand gebring word. Mtunzini byvoorbeeld het tot 2000 deur streng finansiële raadsbestuur sy inwoners vir jare teen stygende dorpsbelastings beskerm. Dit was een van die redes waarom die kusdorpie so 'n gewilde woonplek geword het. Die onvermydelike gevolg hiervan was dat toe die dorpe Mtunzini, Gingindlovu, eShowe en King Dinizulu vir administratiewe redes as 'n eenheid bestuur moes word, die aanpassingskok wat Mtunzini se inwoners beleef het om belastingsgewys by te kom, traumaties was. Heel tereg egter wys beswaardes daarop dat die uMlalazi-munisipaliteit en ander plaaslike owerhede in KZN terloops, weereens weens die druk van nasionale kant, sekere begrotings-aanpassings moes maak om kernfunksies van nasionale en provinsiale owerhede tot uitvoer te bring. Dit geld onder andere vir die Departmente van Vervoer, Onderwys, Rampbestuur en Behuising waar die plaaslike owerheid 'n implementerende rol - luidens nasionale wetgewing - moet speel. Hier moet beslis weer gekyk word na die beginsel van behoorlike vergoeding aan die betrokke plaaslike owerhede waar hulle verplig word om as implementerende agent van die nasionale of provinsiale owerhede op te tree. Produktiewe belastingbetalers mag nie voel dat hulle op plaaslike en nasionale vlak belas word nie, soos tans die geval is.