Du Preez Financial Services

28/11/2025

Last one, let’s finish strong 🇿🇦💥
https://www.rugbypuntit.co.za/podcast/episode/33c84c8a/scrumptious

27/11/2025

OPEN LETTER TO THE MAYOR OF ETHEKWINI
From one mayor to another

Dear Mayor,

This afternoon I took a slow walk down the Durban promenade, a place that once felt like the heartbeat of our province and a symbol of what South African cities could aspire to be. As I walked, I could not help but feel the nostalgia wash over me. I still remember the early days after the new promenade first opened, the pride, the excitement, the sense that Durban had reclaimed something extraordinary. Families filled the walkways, runners and cyclists shared the space with courtesy, shops buzzed with life, and everything, from the lighting to the landscaping, felt meticulously cared for. It was a jewel, not only for Durban, but for the whole country.

And because I remember how it was, I feel compelled to share what I saw now, not in condemnation, but in the sincere hope that this beautiful public asset can shine again.

Today, small signs of neglect are slowly stealing the magic that once made the promenade special. The sand piles up in corners and along pathways where it was once routinely cleared. Many of the mast lights stand dark or half-lit, their poles dull and in need of paint. In the bushes just off the walkway, people without homes sleep hidden from the main path, a reminder of broader social challenges that spill into public spaces when systems falter.

Around the precinct, the municipal vehicles I saw were old, rusted, and visibly deteriorating, a symbol of the strain on basic maintenance and operational capacity. Dirt gathers in the corners, telling quiet stories of areas that haven’t been cleaned in far too long. Paving stones are loose or missing altogether, creating hazards where once there was seamless movement.

The once-bustling shops, restaurants, and entertainment spots sit empty or underused, their vibrancy replaced by silence. And in the open spaces, the same spaces where children played and families relaxed, people who are drunk or high linger through the day, shifting the atmosphere from one of safety and leisure to one of unease.

None of this is said lightly. I understand the complexity of running a city, the competing priorities, the limited budgets, the political pressures, and the weight of the expectations on your shoulders. Being a mayor is an honour, but it is also a relentless responsibility.

I write to you as a colleague who knows how difficult it can be, but also as someone who believes deeply in the power of municipal leadership to restore dignity to public spaces. The promenade is not lost. It is not beyond repair. Its decline is not irreversible. In fact, it is precisely because the problems are still mostly small, mostly manageable, mostly within reach, that this letter is written with hope.

If given focus, leadership, and basic maintenance, this place can return to its glory days. It can once again be a space that welcomes families, tourists, and communities from across KwaZulu-Natal. It can again be a symbol of pride for your city, for your administration, and for the people of eThekwini. It can be an asset to all of us in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mayor, the promenade needs your hand. It needs your eye. It needs the political will that only you can exercise. uMngeni Municipality is far from perfet but I understand what real hands on commitment can mean to a special project like this.

I hope this is received in the spirit in which it is offered, not as criticism, but as a plea to salvage something truly special before the decline deepens. Durban deserves a promenade that is clean, safe, vibrant, and worthy of its coastline.

With respect,
Christopher Pappas
Mayor of uMngeni Municipality

27/11/2025

Thank you Liberty for an awesome seminar and a bit of padel afterwards
Lots of fun and wisdom
Much appreciated.

24/11/2025

Bond market upgrade for SA

15/11/2025

R21000 raised for the stroke foundation at the Liberty golf day at .

Well done Liberty team once again.

Well done
Standard Bank - South Africa
Liberty Group SA
Du Preez Financial Services

05/11/2025

For the youngsters looking for cover
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05/11/2025

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Greg Berry, Steve Herron

30/10/2025

Big thanks to Vaughan Conlon

for all your support! Congrats for being top fans on a streak 🔥!

27/10/2025

Durban Port, one of Africa's biggest ports, will receive a serious cash injection as it changes owners. Full story in the comments.

Image: Rajesh Jantilal/ AFP via Getty Images

27/10/2025

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

25/10/2025