We Love Pinetown

Some ridiculously good reasons why we should get involved in the city

I was busy preparing to write on article on how we should get involved in the different initiatives that happen in our city such as CPF meetings. Then this article popped up on my Facebook newsfeed: Outsiders’ take over CPF election. Now that is just the kind of news you want to read to inspire you about the state of some of the initiatives in Pinetown. It is with fresh enthusiasm from this that I write why we should get involved in what’s happening in Pinetown.

First it must be mentioned that being involved in some initiatives or committees that happen is not always the easiest of things. They never seem to be run the way we would like them (except of course when we are in charge), sometimes they feel like they never seem to accomplish anything (unless of course we have been involved) and mostly we just never seem to feel like giving up the time it takes to be involved. If you have watched the movie Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (2005) based off of Douglas Adams novel, then you may remember this one scene. It is the scene where Arthur manages to rescue to Trillian by following this incredibly humorous and laborious process of bureaucratic procedure. Sometimes it feels like that. A long laborious process to get things done and so because of that many quit, get discouraged and become cynical about what these initiatives actually accomplish. However remember that in the movie Arthur in the end managed to save the girl.

Now that we have got that behind us, lets get into the ridiculously good reasons for us to get involved in what’s happening in our city.

1. If you are not involved, then people you dont want involved, will be - This so often is the case, isn’t it? You find yourself saying “How did that person get into that position?” or “Why would he choose to be involved in that, he hates the environment?” etc. Seriously though Simon Weisenthal said “For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.” Now I am not saying that evil is flourishing but I do understand that when we choose to do nothing we cannot complain about what is happening. When good people decide to take a back seat then good things dont ever seem to happen in the city. Lets not leave the running of our schools, neighbourhood watches, CPF meetings etc. happening without our involvement.

2. No one likes a grumpy spectator – You know the person that I am talking about. They sit a few places down from you in the stadium. They are kitted in all the gear. They may even be carrying a Drifta to keep up to date on what the commentators are saying. However when the ref awards a penalty or the opposing team scores a try they go manic. They are shouting obscenities about how it was a forward pass or that the ref has no idea about the rules of the game. That’s the person that makes everyone feel a little uncomfortable watching the game at a braai or makes you want to move a few blocks away in the stadium. No one likes being next to that guy. The funny thing about that illustration is that often we are that person when it comes to our city. We make it like we are so loyal and love the place but all we can do is shout out the negatives that we see around us. We complain about the litter or the crime or the councillor or the stray cats and noisy neighbours. We are the critics, the spectator who sits on the side-line telling the ref how to ref even though they have never read the rule book. It does not take a genius to pick out what is wrong. It takes a special person to be the solution to the wrong that everyone points out. We don’t want to be that ‘guy’, that spectator. We want to be the people that are participating in the positive change that is happening in our city.

3. It’s your chance to hang out with the big deals of our city – Getting involved with the councillor or someone important is your opportunity to feel like you know a celebrity. Not that anyone takes any pleasure in getting to know our councillors or people in charge (unless of course they become the president, then we will definitely let people know we helped them out on a project). Seriously though, the public servants in our city need people to support them, encourage them and hold them accountable. Some of us only like to hold people accountable. We are quick to try and keep them in check but are never there when there is a call for support or to encourage them when they have accomplished something in the city. I think we will probably find that more will get done in the city when we throw our support behind the good that is happening and encourage those who have accomplished that good.

Now that you have some good reasons to get involved let us go and show our support and participate in some of the things that are happening in the city. An event like the one that happened at the Pinetown Central Sub-Forum never needed to happen if the community would get out there and begin to participate in being the change that Pinetown needs. I encourage you to find an avenue that you can give some of your time, energy and expertise into making the city at large a better place to live in.

Jamie.