ANC loots electricity for its birthday celebrations – mayor of Kgatelopele must pay up
by Safiyia Stanfley MPL – DA Constituency Head for the Emthanjeni Local Municipality
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Date: 01 August 2018
Release: Immediate
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape will request the immediate intervention from the Northern Cape Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements & Traditional Affairs to find an urgent resolution to service delivery protests in De Aar.
The protests, which flared up yesterday and continued today, has disrupted schooling. Learners were sent home yesterday, schools were closed today and all six schools in De Aar will not be open tomorrow.
At such a crucial time of the year, when grade 12 learners should be focused on preparations for their examinations at the end of the year, it is unthinkable that schooling should be brought to a crashing halt for days on end because the ANC-led government cannot fulfil promises made to residents. We have seen a similar situation occurring in Kimberley, where children have been kept from going to school.
The service delivery protests are rooted in frustration with the slow delivery of houses. Some residents have occupied sites earmarked for development which have not been serviced. Not all of these residents are the beneficiaries identified on the waiting list.
Residents are also rightfully unhappy about the unlawful and irregular processes followed with the filling of vacancies at the local clinic.
Only ANC-members were deployed to positions. It appears that none of the vacancies were advertised, that no short lists were compiled and that nobody was invited for interviews. It is absolutely unacceptable that the ANC plays politics with the livelihoods of people, especially considering the levels of poverty and unemployment in the region.
What is clear is that the ANC has no interest in the needs of all the people of the Northern Cape, only those with access to power. The Northern Cape needs change which puts the people and their needs first.
The DA councillors in the Emthanjeni Local Municipality have requested further information on housing delivery from the provincial department and will be going through it with a fine-toothed comb to uncover any irregularities.
Only change, led by a DA administration, can ensure that the rights of all residents are protected.
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