SACP Statement on the Deplorable Makaza Toilet Situation

The SACP in the Western Cape is outraged by the continued Democratic Alliance's implementation of inferior and dehumanizing 'glorified bucket system' toilets in Makhaza and Kanana in Cape Town. It is abhorrent and inhumane for the DA to subject residents of poor Coloured and African communities to 'portable' toilets which are no different to bucket system toilets. 

The people have rejected the implementation of such toilets which are inhumane and grossly violate the basic human right to dignity and decent sanitation. The DA is responsible for treating citizens with disdain and racist attitude as they continue to impose inferior service standards in poor Coloured and African communities, ostensibly, perpetuating apartheid system. The DA invested inordinate amount of public resources to maintain minority White privileges enjoyed under apartheid whilst totally neglecting the humiliating plight of the poor who were impoverished, neglected and underdeveloped under apartheid. 

We condemn as immoral and disingenuous the DA's platitudes to avoid responsibility of the violation of the people's Constitutional rights and exposing innocent citizens to dehumanizing toilets which also pose risks to the health, privacy and personal safety of residents. 

This is because the DA does not believe that African and Coloured people are human beings deserving of decent services and treatment. This is not different to the paternalistic attitude towards Blacks displayed by the forebears of the DA of denying Blacks the right to vote (qualified franchise).

The SACP will continue to protest to demand the genuine needs and aspirations of the downtrodden masses of the poor including residents of Makhaza, Kanana and elsewhere. 

We must further condemn barbaric and perverted thuggish action of throwing human feaces in the provincial administration and elsewhere. This opportunistic publicity stunt is extremely disgusting and diverts attention from the real genuine demands of the people. 

The DA must not use this barbaric action to absolve itself of the responsibility to provide decent and sustainable basic services to the poor. They must not hide behind this deplorable action instead they must account to the citizens about the blatant disregard for the right to dignity, decent sanitation, health and security of residents of Makhaza and Kanana and many other parts of the province. This is a clear demonstration of the DA's failure to prioritise the genuine needs of the people instead of the majority middle class interests. 

Statement issued by Khaya Magaxa, ANC Western Provincial Secretary, June 5 2013

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