23 February 2016
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape has assessed the content of Premier Helen Zille`s State of the Province Address and concluded that it represents a continued blueprint to separate the ordinary people on the ground with that of the provincial government. The widening class and race division between a detached provincial government bureaucracy and the masses on the ground is a direct result of the policy agenda that Zille`s administration has set.
1. On a People`s Participatory Democracy in the Western Cape:
1.1. The Premiers use of Francis Fukuyama as a source of political guidance supports the content of her address. This "End of History" approach completely removes the acknowledgement of ever-changing conditions in society. It is no wonder that the Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape Government arrogantly dismisses any and every complaint levelled against it, it is simply incapable of formulating a proper policy of action for society, especially in working class communities as it considers itself above reproach and above people`s participation in a democracy. The SACP is gravely concerned with this posture. Zille further elaborates her government`s political weakness by referring to three qualities a democratic government ought to adhere to. Interestingly enough none of these duties includes thePeople! There is no mention of people`s participation in developing an equal society, in addressing rising racial tensions or intensifying integration of our communities. For a government led by a "Liberal democratic" Political Party, this posture is very much undemocratic.
1.2. In regard to the content of the address. The Premiers "Game-changer" strategy was presented to the people of the Western Cape in the previous SOPA. Characterising rhetoric does not necessarily mean that action will follow, in fact, the "Game-changers" of the DA government are perfectly captured by Zille herself by quoting Shakespeare: "sound and fury signifying nothing". This echoes the previous arrogance in SOPA 2015 in which Zille actually stated: "I am not going to spend time telling "good news" stories from our previous term. Most speak for themselves.". Presenting progress on policy and actions taken by the government is a critical measure of responsibility to deliver to the people, responsibility that the Western Cape Government simply disregards.
1.3. The Western Cape Government continues to laud its own record on accountability and corporate "best practice", it continues to enact the principles of a "capable state" but cannot fathom that a capable state includes an inclusive, people-driven, people-centered and equitable state. Whilst the Premier laments on this and concludes on work of its Red Tape Units in processing 700 submissions from the public, the SACP poses the question: what happened to the over 600 submissions from Khayelitsha residents, having their say on the allocation of the budget in 2015.
2. Global Economic Capitalist Crisis and the Western Cape Economy:
2.1. The global economic capitalist crisis of 2008/ 2009 has had a devastating effect on workers and the poor throughout the world. According to the International Labour Organisation, global unemployment levels will reach 214 million by 2018!
2.2. It is within this context that the SACP would like to elaborate on these worrying trends because the complexities of macroeconomics are often used by politicians to confuse sensitive, life and death economic issues. Bleak economic forecasts are not to be viewed in the South African context alone, powerful and established capitalist economies have slumped all over the globe, developing nations predicted growth have flat-lined and at the receiving end of this capitalist catastrophe remains the poor. In this regard, we must urge the people of the Western Cape to be very wary of this years SOPA, particularly on issues relating to the economy.
2.3. The triple crisis of unemployment, inequality and poverty cannot be laid at the doorstep of the African National Congress Government. Global economic forces have a great sway on our own economy, the editorial "Top 300", which lists the top companies in the province provides interesting empirical data from 2002 to 2012. The bar-graph presented illustrates incremental economic growth in the Western Cape since 2002, however, post 2008/2009 Global Economic Capitalist Crisis this growth abates, a clear indication that the neo-liberal economic policy implemented by the DA provincial government cannot adapt and conform to global economic trends.
2.4. The billions of Rands invested into the Province by the private sector should again not be presented as social and economic advances by the Western Cape Government. The poor of the province will never see a cent of the billions of this investment. Most major private sector Corporate Social Investments only comprise of a minuscule amount of profits they reap and only scratch the surface of poor communities where the private sector secure their workforce. In most cases they are merely public relations campaigns.
2.5. It is also important to sensitise the people of the Western Cape that economic growth, whether national or provincial, does not take into account the billions of Rands generated by the informal sector economy, in our townships, communities and rural areas. Nationally, approximately 23% of total employment comes from the informal sector economy. With the figure of 10,1% of total employment in the Western Cape, the SACP is asking what comprehensive plan the Provincial Government has formulated to strengthen, support and develop the informal sector economy. The Provincial Government presents us with a narrative that the private sector alone will resolve all our employment challenges. Again, not realising that many, mainly African, workers are forced to make a living in the informal sector economy due to historical disadvantages that marginalise poor people in a hostile atmosphere. Further, the billions brought in by the surge in tourism find the little economic benefit to the workers in the industry.
3. Land and Housing:
3.1. In addressing one of the most contentious issues facing the working class in the province, the Premier, mindful that large land-owners and multi-million rand property tycoons were listening, proudly mentioned massive parcels of land in which private and non-productive building plans have been approved. The Premier then delicately outlined the "Better Living Model", conscious of her audience. The reality is that the Western Cape Government has no intention or capacity to address skewed historical and racial-spatial planning. Populations in townships are increasing, cracking under the pressure due to the Provincial Human Settlements Department that drags its feet over this ticking time-bomb.
3.2. For the working class residing in urban and rural townships, we wish to assert the following: the "Better Living Model" presented by the Premier will not address the housing crisis in the Western Cape. Serious commitment needs to be directed towards mobilising our communities in demand of land for housing within economic centres if the DA-led Western Cape Government boasts approving a multitude of building plans for the private sector, why no do the same for the impoverished of the province. Building housing for the people that have, and continue to, suffer from historically skewed spatial planning in the vicinity of employment, transport and public facilities is a direct step towards integrating a divided population of the province and not dumping people in the concentration camps of Blikkiesdorp and Wolwerivier.
3.3. The Premiers analysis of seasonal fires in the Western Cape is reflective of the class interests the Premier, the Western Cape Government and the political party they represent. Fire season to the DA represents the destruction of capital which translates into a less profit accumulated by major land-owners. Fire season to the poor in the Province represents death, homelessness and despair. The Western Cape Government is again incapable of understanding and addressing this human tragedy, their reaction is a costly awareness campaign that does not deal with the substantive issues of land for quality housing.
3.4. Lastly, it must be a concern to all the people of the Western Cape that not one word was mentioned in relation to skyrocketing violent crime in the province. The City of Cape Town and Nyanga have become the victims of this ignorance to the fact, a fact that the City of Cape town has been rated amongst the top 10 cities in the world in terms of occurrences of violent crime, yet there is no plan on how to tackle this scourge.
4. Education and skills development:
4.1. The SACP notes the abridged mention of attempts to privatise our public schools, through the so-called "Collaboration Schools Pilot Project". The MEC of Education, Ms Debbie Shafer, has openly admitted at a public meeting that this project was rushed in. The effects of this rushed in the project have sown division in our communities, have divided parents and teachers and turned learners into guinea pigs based on this neo-liberal imposition.
4.2. This privatisation of our public schools further contradicts the South African Schools Act by replacing the majority democratic voice of representatives of parents in School Government Bodies with that of donor representatives. The SACP, SADTU, SANCO and COSAS have been firm in our rejection of this project, we reaffirm that we are not opposed to the support by donors to provide quality education in working class communities, we are however vehemently opposed to the restructuring of governance of the school and other open attempts to silence the voice of organised labour in our schools.
Finally, we are glad to hear the Premier pay tribute to the progressive work of the National Departments of Higher Education and Training and Public Works. Developing skills, training people and aiding the unemployed through the extended EPWP programme are all key mechanisms in driving the 2nd, more radical phase of the National Democratic Revolution.
Issued by SACP Western Cape
Contact:
Masonwabe Sokoyi - SACP Western Cape Provincial Spokesperson
Cell: 0815846138/ 0765243242
Office: 021 696 2522
Fax: 086 558 2481
Twitter: @SACPWC
Facebook: SACP Western Cape
Email : sacpwc.media@gmail.com