Prepared speech by Ms. Zodwa Magwaza, ANC MPL, in debate on Premier Zille's State of the Province Address, Western Cape Legislature, February 22 2011:
Speaker,
The biggest shame on this DA-led government is the unilateral cutting of life line funding to NGO's who do the work government should. They care for the vulnerable and marginalized. Instead of guiding and supporting them, they were left out in the cold. Is that fair?
Yet, this government by so doing has embarked on an exercise of political purging to punish the poor. Some organisations are still waiting for money, while others had to shut their doors and cannot feed the poor.
And this government has the audacity to claim it really cares for the poor?
The DA leader was quick to march in the streets against drugs, but her government went in the opposite direction by cutting the funding to fight drugs and the effects of this scourge. Would the real DA please rise?
I raised the terrible practice to dump babies. After I made my statement in this house, I heard a so-called provincial summit on abandoned babies was held. As a member of this legislature, I was not even invited and the organisations I have contact with, were not alerted. This is but part of the DA crusade to exclude and not consult with true stake holders.
The premier mentioned the campaign targeting men for maintenance by herself and the anointed DA mayor elect for the City of Cape Town, but did not recognise the growing phenomena of women abandoning babies with fathers comprising almost a third of single parents.
Support to children should be an ongoing process and not just a few media photo sessions. Other stakeholders should become part of the partnership to make people more responsible.
Teenage pregnancies should receive more sensitive references and seriousness to create greater awareness about protected sex and the results of not doing so.
I have another hint for social development: Start a campaign to assist and support especially child headed households and call it Adopt-a-family!
Health
There is a growing concern for continued health care of people. We heard an announcement about a new private hospital, but did not see it advertised for a public participation process.
Consultants in health taking millions of tax payer Rand should be consolidated.
The new health complaints mechanism should not merely be a way to burry problems instead of dealing with them properly.
Rural Development
Rural development is a crucial effort by national government to create jobs, alleviate poverty and bring access to opportunities. By not saying much about it, this DA government does not look like it is committed to the process and only goes through the motions in order to pay lip service to our people.
Yet, disadvantaged people and farm dwellers are living in desperate conditions.
Agriculture
Agriculture was identified as one of the provincial economic drivers, yet we do not hear enough about such a priority industry. Last year a special pale agricultural summit was held in Worcester with the premier in attendance, but the issues seems forgotten when she spoke on Friday.
I wish to welcome the premier's indirect admission that farm workers get the short end of the stick when she said (start quote) "In the Western Cape of our dreams... workers in factories and on farms are treated fairly and given chances to advance themselves and their families." (end quote)
It is all good and well when the premier says this, but what has been done to turn this around?
I know there are very good farmers in the province who do a lot of good. We hail them. I also know there are still far too many who do not follow the good example of the progressive farmers.
While some DA members here are still in denial about the bad treatment of farm workers, let me just remind the House that during the past year farmer Piet Botes of Leeu Gamka was sentenced for killing the thirteen year old farm worker's daughter Elizabeth Martiens. He then burned her body and hid it in an old water tank.
Let me remind this house that Marthinus Esterhuizen of Beaufort West was sentenced after he killed the eighty five year old folk singer Lena Nuwegeld, her friend Hendrik September and John Mistas for not calling him "baas".
Let me also remind this house that a few days ago three Robertson farmers appeared in the regional court after a fourteen year old youth and his mother was assaulted with sticks and pipes.
Yet, some DA members tell us farmers have very good relations with their workers. The MEC, who is also a honorary leader of the farmer's employers union Agri Western Cape, even tried to convince us how happy the people are that they take part in worker activities and how proud their employers are of their workers. Why does this sound patronizing and like perpetuating servitude? Why does these words ring hollow in the face of the evidence that it is not going so well everywhere and all the time?
Perhaps the honourable premier needs a new advisor on agriculture!
This DA never said a word about the three glaring examples I mentioned here. It is silent, because it protects farm exploits.
Just this past week my colleague, the honourable Chris Stali, had to intervene in a case where a Riversdale farmer kicked sixteen workers off his farm, dumped them next to the road and left them there without resources or access to basic services. They were given shelter by the Police for a night and the ANC branch collected some money to transport them to a place where they could stay.
Yet, it is this government that denies these practices take place! Or is this DA government sharing the view of one singer Steve Hofmeyr who said he has difficulty in finding white people attacking blacks?
We need to seriously address these problems and show commitment by openly discussing it with a view to find solutions, and not take sides by affording only farmers blanket protection!
My plea is: Stop paying lip service, but implement what is said and intended. Don't postulate and say everything is hunky-dory!!
Issued by the ANC Western Cape, February 22 2011
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