Mayor Xaba must apologise for his Grinches

“CHRISTMAS BOX’

- YOGIN DEVAN

THE writer says for as long as he can recall, it has been the tradition to give a small gift to the garbage workers.

(Supplied)

IN MY FIRST 2026 column, I cannot help but relate how eThekwini Municipality got my goat recently, and through its overbearing attitude, reminded me of the story How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Readers may recall that Grinch, a grumpy, solitary creature, hates the joyful Christmas celebrations, and decides to ruin it for the folk of Whoville by stealing all their presents, decorations and food on Christmas Eve. But Grinch is soon to discover that Christmas is about spirit, not things, after the Whos continue singing happily, causing his heart to grow, and leading him to return everything and join their feast. It’s a lesson about finding happiness within and rejecting materialism, with themes of kindness, sharing, and the enduring power of the holiday spirit.

For as long as I can recall, from the days | was a little boy growing up in the family home, and continuing in my own home, it has been the tradition that we gave a “Christmas Box”, a small gift to the garbage workers who collected our domestic refuse 52 weeks of the year, come sun, wind or rain. On the Monday before this past Christmas, as soon as | heard the garbage truck on the road approaching my house, I voluntarily met the workers at the gate and handed them presents and money. It was too small a way to thank them for the drudge work that they do all year long, but the smiles on their faces showed great appreciation.

As holiday refuse services mercifully continued uninterrupted in the final week of 2025, Grinch arrived in the form of a public notice by the eThekwini Municipality, and this provoked rage in me.