SACP Gauteng supports the people of Bekkersdal`s demand to consider placing Westonaria Local Municipality under administration

30 September 2013

SACP Gauteng held a successful meeting with community leaders of Bekkersdal, organised as the Greater-Westonaria Concerned Residents Association. Meeting was held on Sunday, 29 September 2013 in Bekkersdal, Westrand. Meeting with community leaders follows a visit to Bekkersdal by the SACP`s 2nd Deputy General Secretary, comrade Solly Mapaila who conducted a door-to-door campaign in the area last week.

Meeting with the Bekkersdal community leaders was intended to fully brief the SACP on the demands of the people that led to violent service delivery protest last week. SACP delegation was warmly received and welcomed by community leaders who also expressed appreciation for a visit by the SACP as the only Marxist-Leninist vanguard party of the working class and poor in our country.

After an extensive and full briefing by community leaders, the SACP fully pledged its principled support to the legitimate demands of the historic revolutionary masses and working class of Bekkersdal. This includes but is not limited to the following:

• That government conduct an urgent preliminary investigation into the current state of the municipality, taking into account claims and allegations made by residents. The purpose of the preliminary investigation is to make a scientific determination on whether sufficient grounds exist to place the municipality under administration. SACP strongly believe that this demand of the working class and poor of Bekkersdal must not be dismissed without following an objective process.

• That the relevant structures of the provincial and local government convene an urgent meeting with community leaders to discuss some of the burning and most pressing issues whilst the process of placing the municipality under administration is receiving attention. This will include the fact that ablution facilities are currently in a worse condition, and that the people pay at least R40 to get their pit toilets serviced, and the pit toilets are full and not available for use.

SACP however expressed a concern that the use of violence during protest is not justifiable in the current epoch of a democratic state of the historically oppressed people led by their revolutionary national liberation movement, the African National Congress.

SACP agreed to work closely with community leaders to ensure that their demands are met.

Issued on behalf of the SACP Gauteng Province

Contact:
Mamabolo Jacob, Provincial Secretary, 082 884 1868
Lucian Segami, Provincial Spokesperson, 079 522 0098