GOOD Statement by Peter de Villiers
GOOD Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament
23 November 2023
Note to editor: This is the statement that was prepared by GOOD Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament Peter de Villiers for today’s sitting.
Honourable Premier, Honourable members,
If we cannot change things for the better, for ALL those who live within this Province, then why are we here?
If there is one shame that the Western Cape still carries as legacy and which we should have, in all its disguised forms, eradicated and abolished a long time ago, then, it is the “dop system” and everything those words imply.
This evil, inhumane way of enslaving people in order for them to be controlled and abused at the masters behest has destroyed and continues to destroy many lives in the Western Cape.
And although no longer meant to prevail, It is alive and well in the manner in which many of our white farmers still act with impunity towards their workers.
It’s no longer simply about cheap wine in lieu of payment to their workers, it’s ingrained in every business transaction between a farm worker and a farmer in the Western Cape.
Most farm labourers have and continue to suffer intimidation, humiliation and threats in the course of eviction and have been reduced to living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions in informal settlements after leaving their farm dwelling.
Despite the provision of ESTA and the PIE act, most farm evictions are in fact still illegal by virtue of the fact that the farm labourers do not know or understand their rights and do not have the capacity to appoint the legal representation they desperately require to state their case and we, in this room, knowing this to be the case, are conveniently turning a blind eye and so are implicit in the crime being committed.
To make matters worse, we add to this crime by not ensuring that more municipal sites are made available to accommodate the number of potentially displaced farm dwellers and prevent the unsafe, ad hoc settlements that develop.
Although evictions should only occur if farm workers have alternative accommodation, this is not being enforced and when municipalities do offer an alternative, which they are mandated to, they offer 24-square-metre structures in a municipal emergency housing village. All of this is condoned by those who sit in this house.
We, as members of this house are duty bound to serve and protect the vulnerable yet we sit here and not only allow but enable these crimes against humanity!
Media Enquiries:
Carlos Mesquita Spokesperson for GOOD in Western Cape Provincial Parliament
Cell: 071 341 3378
Email: carlosmesquita396@gmail.com
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 073 367 1223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za