7 May 2020
The South African Communist Party (SACP) Phillip Radebe District comments government on the manner in which it has managed efforts aimed at containing the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The SACP in Phillip Radebe strongly condemns the opportunistic sections of political and religious capital that say some of government’s interventions are theirs, rather than government’s interventions.
First, we were fed with the propaganda that the Malawian church leader, Shepherd Bushiri had donated food parcels to the Mpumalanga provincial department of social development. However, according to information at the disposal of the SACP, Bushiri allegedly only donated 35 food parcels to the department.
We are aware that there are many churches and business people who have made even more significant donations – but they did not receive the same treatment from MEC for social development, Thandi Shongwe. It appears that the MEC might be using the plight of the people during the Covid-19 pandemic to market her church and Bushiri. This is uncalled for.
The SACP in Phillip Radebe District calls upon the Provincial Covid-19 Command Centre to investigate if the name of the department of social development has been used to get the food parcels and other donations that found their way to ANC regional leader, Ngrayi Ngwenya. Ngweya comes across having become a self-appointed spokesperson of Bushiri in the province. He also appears to have been using the plight of the poor to gain self-promotion.
The Provincial Covid-19 Command Centre should take charge of the distribution of food parcels. The MEC for social development has demonstrated that she could be incapable of performing her duties with integrity.
The SACP in Phillip Radebe also warns stakeholders to desist from issuing donations to individual politicians. Instead, if any the donations should be directed to recognised and credible institutions and the Solidarity Fund established by government. The Provincial Covid-19 Command Centre can also play an important role in guiding donations, ensuring accountability and ensuring that food parcels reach the intended recipients.
The SACP in Phillip Radebe District has also worryingly noted a tendency by some politicians who appear to be channelling the interventions towards their own communities, rather than serving all the people in a transparent manner without bringing their bias to bear on their public duties.
The SACP in Phillip Radebe District will as the Party at the Provincial level to engage with the ANC and Alliance partners to assess if MEC Thandi Shongwe is fit to be entrusted with such an important responsibility, especially during this crisis period, and in addition taking into account her controversial history in every department that she was deployed in before.
When she was the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature, she allegedly spent thousands of taxpayers’ money while attending the Bushiri church during a festive season and spoiled herself with expensive Mercedes Benzes.
When she was an MEC for culture, sports and recreation, she allegedly spent over R300 000 on her cellular phone bills and over R8 million to construct a Nelson Mandela statue.
The Covid-19 pandemic is also exposing the class inequalities, one the hand between the working class and poor who are living in the townships, and other the rich and those who live in former white and current upmarket.
The SACP in Phillip Radebe District strongly condemns the unpleasant conduct of the management of some of the shopping centres in the townships.
This practice is reminiscent of the apartheid era and is very demeaning to the working class and poor because.
The SACP in Phillip Radebe District calls upon the management of shopping centres to allow people properly regulated access, without regard to residential areas, taking into account public health and safety as well as occupational health and safety of workers. It is also important to allow spaza/tuck shops, co-operatives, small, medium and micro enterprises located in historically disadvantaged areas properly regulated operating terms.
Issued by the SACP Phillip Radebe District
Contact:
Bhobert Nkosi - District Secretary
Mobile: 072 520 1647
