Khayelitsha inquiry a ‘wasted exercise’

Cape Town 070611 Marius Fransman (right)during a ANC press conference. picture : neil baynes

Cape Town 070611 Marius Fransman (right)during a ANC press conference. picture : neil baynes

Published Aug 29, 2014

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Cape Town - The ANC has criticised the Khayelitsha commission of inquiry, calling it a wasted exercise which stated “the obvious”.

While welcoming the report for enriching debate and highlighting necessary interventions in strengthening the fight against crime, ANC leader Marius Fransman said the millions spent was not worth it.

Speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, Fransman pointed out critical flaws, including the fact that most of the evidence heard came from academics and experts rather than the community itself.

“A total of R15 million-plus is not justified in terms of the outcomes. There were 107 people who gave evidence of which only 21 police personnel were interviewed. There were 25 experts, mostly academics and almost all white, with very little understanding of the Khayelitsha community.”

And he questioned why the terms of reference did not touch on the metro police who are responsible for enforcing by-laws in the area.

 

Fransman said it was clear the commission had tried to move away from the real issues of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment.

ANC secretary-general Songezo Mjongile also raised concerns about the limited scope of the commission which made it impossible to deal holistically with the burden of crime in communities.

“The insufficiency of the commission made it impossible to investigate the underlying causes, particularly the impact of the legacy of apartheid in our communities.”

The party on Thursday called for a provincial multi-stakeholder summit meeting of civil society, government, business, political parties and religious leaders to forge stronger partnership in the fight against crime.

 

Mjongile said the “us and them” attitude of the provincial government, coupled with competitive and reckless point scoring on socio-economic development in the province, was damaging.

Fransman said the commission’s resolutions and recommendations had to be judged on what was said by the community prior to the recommendations being made.

 

“The devil is not in the general recommendations that academics came forward with in terms of their testimony. The devil rests within the way community was consulted and the community participated.”

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Cape Argus

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