Metro traffic department has a cheek

YOU have got to hand it to the traffic department staff in Port Elizabeth when it comes to blatant cheek. Down tools because they were not consulted on the formation of the municipal police ("ANC pushes organogram through", May 26)?

Hey guys, a news flash: neither were the ratepayers of this fair city consulted regarding the 1% extra rates proposed to cover this new venture. And really, how can you really down tools when you are holding a piece of chicken in the one hand and a beverage in the other?

If you lot did your job and sorted out the poor collection of traffic fines, we would not have to go to the well (ratepayers) again. Why do you all have to descend on the council chamber en masse when you have your union representatives to speak or handle these sorts of matters before you engage on a wildcat strike, which in reality is what it was?

Have you learnt nothing of how this country is supposed to work, how disputes are handled? Your inability to learn speaks volumes as the reason for the dysfunctionality of your department and adds another notch to the bow of those calling for its complete overhaul. Consultation means different things to different people and in Port Elizabeth we have been consulting for years about the bus lanes and the taxis.

Where has this got us except closer to the poor house?

From my experience in dealing with employees and unions with regard to "consultation", I found the employees simply did not altogether trust the union representatives and all wanted to have a say, often taking most of a day as each and every member of staff stood up and said the same thing, all on paid time of course.

There are some good traffic police out there, but sadly they are painted with the same brush as their useless colleagues.

Perhaps we do need a municipal police force that may in the end set a new benchmark for performance and hopefully lead to the integration of the traffic department and the municipal security department. Sadly for some this will lead to a reduction in takeaway chicken sales.

Malcolm Dodds, Sherwood, Port Elizabeth