ANC denounces irresponsible rumours

The Western Cape African National Congress calls on all individuals and organisations to be responsible in their dealings with the facts in the Grabouw service delivery protest.

A senior delegation of Western Cape ANC leaders visited Grabouw in the Theewaterskloof municipal area today to ascertain the facts around the outburst of anger after the failure of the DA and its education MEC Donald Grant to respond properly to community concerns about an overcrowded school.

"The protest was about the DA's failure and service delivery issues," says the ANC provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile.

"We have heard deliberate and viscous rumours spread to muddle the waters. There were rumours about the Groenberge school that were found to be untrue. It was said the school was attacked, while there was nothing going on there. It was claimed that two classrooms were burned down, but this was also false. It was reported that the clash was about coloured and African people fighting, which also was utterly fabricated.

"The ANC calls on all people to stop spreading such vile rumours that incites tensions and may be the cause for serious problems. The ANC says the real issues should be investigated why the DA could not find suitable land for an alternative school or extra classrooms, but after the demonstration all of a sudden announced that land has been discovered. 

"Why Grant refused to honour his own undertaking to meet the community prior to the outburst, is also a valid question he and the DA must respond to. Why children were cramped into a school that can only house half the numbers there is another. These are the real matters at hand," says Mjongile.

Statement issued by ANC Western Cape Provincial Secretary Songezo Mjongile, March 20 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter