DA KZN: MEC abusing state resources to help ANC ahead of Wednesday’s by-elections
7 November 2016
The Democratic Alliance has called for answers from KwaZulu Natal Social Development MEC, Weziwe Thusi, following two large Department of Social Development (DSD) events in wards due to hold hotly contested by-elections on 9 November 2016.
The events, held two weeks ago, took place in the Kwafodo Tribal Authority in Umuziwabantu ward 1 and Acaciavale in Alfred Duma ward 20 under the guise of the department’s Sibahle Siyazethemba Campaign.
The DA fully supports this noble programme which aims to distribute school uniforms, sanitary towels and Relief of Social Distress parcels to 24 000 destitute schoolchildren in over 1 200 schools across KZN every year.
However, we remain extremely concerned by the timing of these visits and regard the MEC’s use of departmental resources in an attempt to boost ANC by-election campaigns as deplorable. Using poverty as a campaign tool can never be condoned.
It is clear that the MEC cannot distinguish between the party and state. In her report “State and Party: Blurred Lines”, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela made it very clear that state resources such as SASSA and DSD food parcels, school uniforms, sanitary towels, etc, cannot be used as campaigning tools by the ANC.
The DA has submitted written questions to MEC Thusi asking for the criteria used to choose KwaFodo and Acaciavale for these recent events. The criteria are especially significant given that the DSD had a choice of 1 200 schools across KZN to go to. Given this, the DA can only assume that the decision was made for campaigning purposes.
We reiterate our call to MEC Thusi not to use departmental resources as campaigning tools and to ensure that government resources are allocated equitably to all needy and destitute residents of KZN.
Poverty is an indignity that must be combatted. The DA is committed to fighting against poverty in all communities, regardless of political affiliation.
Statement issued by Dr Rishigen Viranna MPL, DA in the KZN Legislature, 7 November 2016
