DA Fomenting anarchy by neglecting the Working Class
07 November 2013
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape is extremely incensed by the constant preordained attitude perpetuated by the Democratic Alliance in Western Cape towards Working Class communities.
Of late, many community-based organisations and community members have set out on planned marches to the Western Cape legislature. To our utmost disappointment but without surprise, the DA has yet again disregarded legitimate plights highlighted on a democratic platform. Once again the DA has illustrated its true fundamental principles, coating itself with an air of equality and services for all but when the working class and poor rally in frustration, the DA sheds this coat and exposes itself as a political government not capable and not willing to service the poor.
Thus, the SACP has constantly echoed the material fact that the Western Cape government and its premier conduct themselves as if they were on an isolated island, that behaviour finds expression in the way they deal with the struggles of ordinary working class people. The strategy of suppressing poor communities is informed by their attempts to divide and conquer, dishing out a minimum of resources and services and stepping back to watch desperate community members fight over them.
Prevalent to the outgoing Western Cape government is a deliberate policy of reducing the Working class to 3rd class citizens in the province. The current postponement of the BRT rollout to Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain is a clear indication that the Hellen Zille led government pays little to no consideration of the dire needs of the poor.
It is against this background that the SACP in the Province has recently received reports of the repulsive utterances of Patricia De Lille, publicly acclaiming that Working class people are just walking robots, who cannot think for themselves but are simply remotely ordered to throw stones. Furthermore, De Lille's recent disgusting utterances that the "The Poor are Political Tools" adds fuel to the fire. These acclamations indeed find expression from the apartheid epoch.
As the SACP in the Province we understand the historical and material conditions that have and still do exist within the working class communities residing in the Western Cape. Additionally the legitimate demands of the poor and working class must be addressed immediately by the DA government. However the SACP in the province also takes special cognisance of the fact that the administration of the DA exists solely to serve capitalist and neoliberal interests further bolstered by their adherents in the media.
Whilst De Lille and Hellen Zille are playing political football with the concerns of the people, the community members of Barcelona near Gugulethu have been at the receiving end of this sickening game with the fact that mobile toilets in the area have not been serviced for the past seven months.
The reactionary attitude of the DA towards the working class in the Western Cape has reached its pinnacle, resonating comparable actions and utterances of the Apartheid regime. The Provincial government's failure to deliver services to working class areas has resulted in an ignition of popular, mass-based protests. Hence we call upon the DA government to stop fomenting anarchy and listen to the community issues and deliver services to working class areas.
Statement issued by Khaya Magaxa, SACP Western Cape Provincial Secretary, November 7 2013
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