10 May 2013
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape Province notes and welcomes the stance taken by the Portfolio Committee on Health in relation to the tender of the “chronic mental health services”. We are of the firm view that the Portfolio Committee is correct by rejecting this act of self-enrichment by people within and outside the state.
As the SACP we fully support the Health Portfolio Committee rejection of the outsourcing of this critical health service for the vulnerable group of people of the province. The decision to outsource this service will lead to the collapse of the current services provided by the Psychiatric centres given the challenges they are facing. This narrow selfish decision is also outside the policy of building a developmental state with the capacity to provide quality public services.
This is a broad daylight robbery to the taxpayers and people and the majority of the workers and the poor as it will only serve the interest of the business elites and produce a tender bourgeoisie who acts only as parasites. It is important to note that the tender as advertise would cost the people of Eastern Cape R100 million per year, which would be R300m in a three year contract and ultimately be over R1.5 billion in ten years.
We are calling upon the Premier, Hon. Noxolo Kiviet to urgently intervene on this matter and compel the Department of Health to withdraw the tender advert. The Department of Health must be compelled by the Premier to invest these resources in attending to the challenges facing the public health system in the Eastern Cape Province.
In the same context we note with concern the intention of the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) to sell state properties under the so-called ECDC property disposal strategy. As the SACP we think that some of the properties can be used as an incentive for investors for the industry. In this regard we will be seeking an urgent meeting with the MEC as we firmly believe that in the context of building a developmental state any state property disposal requires a broader and a transparent consultative process.
We are calling upon the Provincial government to get to the bottom of this predicament in attempt to break the corruption network that has engulfed our provincial administration. Our government ought to isolate and combat corrupt elements in the provincial administration for it to respond effectively to the needs and aspirations of the workers and the poor of this land.
Issued by SACP Eastern Cape.
Contact:
Siyabonga Mdodi
SACP EC Provincial Spokesperson
083 3588 070