COSATU Press Statement on the State of the Province 2011

The Premier has no clothes on; her leadership is ostentatious and naked

Cosatu has the following expectations from the state of the Province address by the DA and its leaders as a key indicator of the Governance priorities and the way the DA intends to respond to the social injury of the People of the Western Cape.

The leader of the DA

The focus of the leadership of the Premier is to steer away from inspirational leadership that provides hope to the people of the WC. Instead the focus is on the weaknesses of the ANC, IN AN Attempt to hide the inadequacies of leadership in the Western Cape. The Premiers office has been s presented as a screeching cynical Premier, which provides no plan to overcome the social injury of the people.

So we see attempts at smoke and mirrors in an attempt to deflect from the real issues of the people, and this is manifested in the following ways; Premier goes to international visits, to boost the DA profile as a Government in waiting, at the cost of millions of Rands, rather than improve the lot of WC people. The high handed attempt to chase poor working families out of Hout Bay, when it was not even the Province's business and the preoccupation with personal bling, through fancy suits and expensive cosmetics surgery, distancing herself from the majority of WC citizens.

The Premier's dept reflects the same kind of lack of leadership and vision we see from the various MEC's, and we hope that she will in fact provide some leadership this year.

The social development

The adhoc statement on Drugs and children, does not engage the community to find lasting solutions to the scourge of drug abuse. There is no grasp of the fundamental issues affecting our communities, and the need to provide systemic solutions. There is no vision or plan to provide hope to the communities, no plan that helps to restore the social fabric of our society. The MEC De Lille seems more concerned about political survival that about serving the electorate.

Public transport

The public transport plan does nothing to address the train crisis or help commuters overcome the desperate plight they have to contend with every day. Instead we see the focus of the Premier on fancy busses for the mainly wealthy of Blaauberg and Milnerton, they also got direct access to the bicycle route, that takes them from home to their workplaces in Town. Then there is the special bus that takes larneys to the airport, which travels empty, while many townships of the Cape Flats have no bus routes. Will there be an appreciation of the most urgent needs of Western Cape Communities and plans to address these or will it be more transport for the wealthy.

The health dept

This department lurches from crisis to crisis, with Day hospitals not providing services to people. The focus of health care services in the Western Cape is for Botox at private hospitals to make old ladies look like teenagers. The urgent dialysis and chronic illnesses continue to be neglected, for poor communities , whilst special concession are put in place for wealthy patients with medical aid. The premier and her MEC Endorses the elite health services with their continuous promotion of Private health. We call on the Premier to call on public servants to use public health care services.

Education

This department continues to promote the dual education system, one set of schools for the children of the wealthy in the shadows of Table Mountain, where school fees cost R3000 per month and they have small classes and all the resources they need. The other system for the working class kids of the Cape Flats sees overcrowded classes with no computer facilities. When these kids reach Matric and they have to compete for jobs at companies, it's the child who has computer experience who gets the job.

But these wealthy kids are the kids of the DA, and the bosses, both black and white, and as long as they are ok, they don't care about poor. We call on the Premier to support a call that says all children are equal and they deserve the same opportunity and the same resources. And for the Government to then commit to ensuring that there are equal resources and facilities at all schools. To deny this is to condemn poorer kids to second class opportunities.

Economic department

No coherent economic vision is emerging that will grow the economy in a way that creates jobs, and supports the economic development strategy contained in IPAP 2. The Premier is breaking down partnerships with her dismantling of the social Dialogue institutions [PDC], where coherent economic and social development programmes should emerge, supported by all the partners. The economy is being directed in a manner that maintains White vested interest in the Province and it would be interested to see how the Premier intends to integrate all stakeholders into the economy. The urgent need to address areas of decline like Atlantis and Touwsrivier, with its devastating impact on the communities' escapes the grasp of the Premier and her Leadership.

Housing department

Sees a plan that does not respond to the challenges that exist in the Western Cape, needs 360 000 housing units, only building about 10 000 per annum. The Housing dept has failed to respond to the challenges and continues to promote dormitory style accommodation far away from Mayor cities and Job opportunities.

No plan and no integration of communities emerging, poor are being  kept out of Constantia and other wealthy white areas, and the Premier is silent on this , given that the status quo suits her white constituency. Will we see a commitment to integration or will the Premier continue pandering to the group that has been favoured during her reign.

On corruption

The Premier must explain the overspending of nearly R2 billion on the stadium, and whether there will be an investigation into the corruption linked to the stadium, and the City tendering procedures, during her leadership. The moral corruption that has underpinned the vicious assault on Poor communities of Hout Bay, under the leadership of the Premier must be explained.

Conclusion

Will we see more of this elite interest being pursued or will we see a focus on the areas where the greatest social injury exists. We will be judged by what we do for the poorest of our people, and not for the wealthy amongst our people. We need an inspiring leader who lives and walks the values of the majority of our people, who understand that an injury to one is an injury to all, who appreciates solidarity and servant leadership.

We can hire bean counters who can manage the poverty that is endemic to our people or we can search for leadership we deserve. The Premier is called upon to rise above her cynicism and provide a vision for the Western Cape, we hope that she does. But all indications are that she will only focus on being the best dressed, best looking woman in the province, with the finest clothes. But the reality is that the Premier has no clothes on, her policies ignore the majority, she will leave the majority of the people tattered and torn, whilst she blames other parties and parades like a queen.

Statement issued by Tony Ehrenreich, COSATU Western Cape provincial secretary, February 17 2011

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