The DA does not care for the poor
The DA needs to prove its claim with facts and figures that it is working for the poor. It missed a golden opportunity to show all how much it cares for the poor. The ANC is not impressed by today's 2015 provincial budget.
The ANC says 75% of the total budget is spent on employee compensation (of the total R52 billion; staff, the premier and MEC's get R39 billion). But, the DA claims it spends 80% of the provincial budget on the poor. It must reveal where and when this is done.
The ANC finance spokesperson in the Western Cape legislature Carol Beerwinkel says: "Far too little is invested in the rural areas for development where the majority of the poor are. What we have seen is punitive measures against the poor that rejects the DA, like farm workers, followed by the closing down of poor schools on farms instead of helping those children to get a head start in life with an education that could hold its own with all those learners that are fortunate to go to well-resourced schools. Skills programmes and youth opportunities are also not going anywhere unless education equity is attained first."
If the DA was so committed to grow the provincial economy, enhance transformation and add to the vibrancy of agriculture, why was the allocation for this very important sector reduced by almost 14%?
"The DA only plays games with the poor and then wants to change the rules too. The truth is the DA does not care about the poor. Very little support is given to struggling municipalities - in fact the allocation for local government only grew by 0,6%! Economic development grows by only 2% with short term gains for construction and not more sustainable development closer to where people live. Not enough is done for poor and rural areas. It further does not spread resources evenly across the province, but only develops in small pockets.
"Under ‘goods and services' this provincial government under the DA will blow R11 billion... How much of that will go to rich consultants in all the various departments? The DA would do better if it invested more in uplifting the poor. So, there is nothing new or exciting in the DA's budget tabled today by new finance MEC Ivan Meyer.
"This DA administration receives 95% of its money thanks to the national ANC government and should spend it along ANC policies or plans (like the national government priorities for decent work, education, health, crime and rural development and land reform) and should desist from setting skewed DA superiority priorities or perpetuating apartheid lines. The expenditure on the poor is not out of generosity, but by directive from the national government. The devil for the DA will however be in the detail of implementation; and the ANC and its team will keep a close watch on that in the coming months," Beerwinkel added.
Statement issued by Carol Beerwinkel, ANC finance spokesperson in the Western Cape legislature, March 6 2015
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