GOOD Statement by Shaun August
GOOD National Organiser & Member of The Western Cape Provincial Parliament
15 February 2023
The looming Western Cape State of the Province Address should be focused on solutions to those problems that keeps most residents awake at night.
The provincial government wants to, ideally, position themselves as the better alternative than their national counterpart. However, the people of this province are not spared from hunger, crime, joblessness, poor services and a slow government that dwells on dreams and what-ifs as opposed to seeking solutions that could end our collective shortcomings.
In his 2022 SOPA the Premier was thrilled to introduce the formation of various provincial departments and interventions, hailing these as the “north star” of safety and dignity. However simply changing the name of government departments and creating new ones just won’t cut it.
We need solutions that will dismantle decades of marginalization, bring people closer to their place of work and economic opportunities, a new spatial justice framework, a plan that would drastically redo Apartheid planning and measures that would give people the dignity of building a promising life with a stable livelihood.
But instead of dedicating time and resources to these goals – the provincial government is fighting a court judgment which found that it failed in its constitutional mandate to address apartheid spatial planning with the controversial sale of the Tafelberg property in Sea Point.
We need to urgently address spatial apartheid planning by providing affordable housing in central Cape Town. One cannot claim to be committed to this on the one hand, while on the other, pushing ahead with protracted legal battles against the same issue.
Now is the time for robust action and implementable solutions that caters to some of our provinces most pressing problems.
This year’s SOPA has to put forward ideas that will bulldoze the rise of the construction mafia which is keeping thousands of beneficiaries from receiving dignified homes.
This government should introduce a range of solutions designed to give black farmers greater access to markets and agricultural opportunities, as well as advancing the provincial land reform program that is a complete disaster.
We look forward to departments such as health, social development and education working together to tackle social problems and curb the tide against drugs, violence and addictions, and to fix our broken families.
Time is of the essence and this government can no longer drag its feet in putting forward real solutions for society’s most vulnerable persons.
Media Enquiries:
Shaun August, GOOD National Organiser & Member of Western Cape Provincial Parliament
Cell: 074 746 7378
Email: shauna@forgood.org.za
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 0733671223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za