FROM time to time local businesses exhort consumers to support Paarl. Allow me to sketch but one shopper's reluctance and justification for rather shopping elsewhere.

Motorists vie with pedestrians in the CBD (especially). Here pedestrians stroll insolently in the roads.

It they were still crossing, preferably briskly, one would forgive them. But they are tardy, arrogant and sometimes downright confrontational.

Jaywalking is the norm in Paarl. While the roads have become more and more congested with vehicles, the added and totally unnecessary strain of defensive driving (defending yourself against the probability of accidentally hitting someone through no fault of your own), is exhausting.

Not only does one have to drive with utmost diligence and vigilance, because of the notoriously reckless Paarl drivers, you also have to anticipate the stupidity of the Paarl pedestrian.

It is unnerving to dodge and dive pedestrians who consider themselves immune and immortal. Together with employing an over-developed sixth sense merely to get through the traffic in Paarl, it is unacceptable to endure the arrogant, insolent and suicidal pedestrians.

There are adequate sidewalks throughout Paarl and there is no sane justification for this behaviour. Maybe it's the only way they can boost their self-esteem.

But the saddest is that parents are educating a whole new generation of insolent, arrogant and reckless young Paarl pedestrians.

Traffic regulations and laws are ignored, common decency is heresy and consideration only a word found in dictionaries.

While this is the norm in Paarl, I'll support those retailers where I can get to comfortably and with the minimal amount of stress.

Shopping should be a pleasure. Until the scourge of insolent, tardy and arrogant pedestrians end their victimhood, expect that more and more sanity-loving shoppers will go out of their way to ensure a pleasant, peaceful shopping experience.

BieBie Brits

I WAS born in Paarl and love it here, but I am worried about how things are handled in most businesses in our area, especially when it comes to employing workers.

You can go around different shops in Lady Grey Street and see what I am referring to. You hardly see a black person assisting. Sometimes there is one, but it is not enough, because there should be equal opportunities for all.

There is one thing which employers must consider - they don't only serve white and brown people.

Some black parents would also like to see some black employees helping them in their own language so that they can understand one another well. This would also increase sales.

I am appealing to shops and other companies - there are many of us wishing to grab the opportunity if it would come our way. Give us a chance.

Alfred Klaasen

SES maande gelede het ek een oggend vir 'n verkeersman gewys die groen lig by die voetoorgang op die kruising van Lady Greystraat en Bredastraat is dood. Jy weet nie wanneer jy moet oorgaan nie.

Hy het dadelik sy foon gebruik om dit vir die mense te laat weet en tot vandag toe is daar nog niks aan gedoen nie.

Is dit dan vir ons mense so swaar om wat verkeerd is reg te maak. Nog iets wat pla, is dat die ligte by  voetoorgang by Edgars na die CNA so vinnig oorslaan, dat jy wat bejaard is net tot in die helfte van die pad kom. Hoekom kan nie na sulke goed gekyk word nie?

Bejaarde voetganger

GRAAG wil ek deur middel van u koerant die persoon bedank wat my seun Jean-Pierrè Fourie se beursie opgetel en dit by Standard Bank gaan ingee het.

In vandag se tye is dit 'n riem onder die hart om te weet dat daar nog sulke mense bestaan.

Weer eens baie dankie vir u opregtheid en eerlikheid. Dit word waardeer.

Magaretha Fourie

ALMAL het behoefte aan 'n holte vir jou voet. Hetsy dit nou 'n skoolbank is om twaalf jaar lank te gebruik as 'n akademiese skuurplek, of 'n gehoorsaal vir kulturele bedrywighede.

Nou lyk dit of dié holtes in die Vallei oorloop van romp-slomp en onvoldoende beplanning.

Gemoedere het die afgelope tyd hoog geloop met die nuus dat die Polisiekollege se ouditorium nie meer beskikbaar is vir die gemeenskap se gebruik nie.

Dié eertydse pronkstuk van die Paarlse Onderwyskollege het dertien jaar gelede deel geword van die nuwe SAP-kollege.

Kommer is toe uitgespreek oor die volgehoue beskikbaarheid van die ouditorium aan die gemeenskap. Die versekering is egter ontvang dat daar altyd 'n oop deur vir die Paarl se mense sal wees.

Nou bly daar van dié belofte niks oor nie en sit organiseerders van konserte en dies meer letterlik met hul hande in die hare.

Die rede vir dié dilemma is waarskynlik swak beplanning. Geld kom in, maar geen onderhoud word gedoen nie, tot op 'n punt waar die saal onbruikbaar word.

Net so sit skoolhoofde met 'n tameletjie. Ons hoërskole is tot boordens toe vol nuwe graad agts en daar moes selfs inderhaas 'n tydelike skool opgerig word.

Weer eens lyk dit na swak beplanning - die leerders kom immers nie nou eers in die sisteem nie. In die sewe jaar wat hulle in die laerskool deurgebring het, moes iemand mos beplan het vir die toename in getalle.

Die gemeenskap sal op sy regte moet staan en sorg dra dat hulle nie aan die kortste ent trek terwyl ander nog moet leer beplan nie.