Wednesday’s front-page article, “Judge slams education bosses”, has touched a raw nerve, forcing me to ask whether there will be any consequences for the MEC this time.
Just like climate change has been caused by pollution, the political climate in the Western Cape for coloureds has been influenced by a desire to secure the black vote for the DA in 2019.
In principle, I have no objections to the DA’s frantic efforts to flirt with black voters, but why should this be at the expense of the very people who made of a five-man minority party in the Western Cape the ruling party?
Why must coloured people always be useful at election time, only to be discarded afterwards. Is the DA’s form of liberalism actually racialism wrapped in peaches and cream, served with sophisticated oratory skills to the unsophisticated voter?
This is the third time in less than five years that a court or tribunal has reversed eviction orders by a DA MEC against coloured residents. Is it purely a case of acting on wrong legal advice or are they in essence Donald Trumps in disguise. In the first case, Robin Carlisle in 2013 served eviction notices on 85 coloured families staying at De Novo. They have lived there since after World War II and were promised by then ANC MEC Marius Fransman that the houses would be transferred to them.
When the DA came to power, they reneged on this promise and wanted the residents to pay all the arrear rental for the preceding six years. amounting to more than R100 000 per household. The residents approached me to represent them before the Housing Tribunal and we won the case. The arrears were written off by court order and the residents could stay in their houses.
In 2016 the Western Cape Public Works Department again served eviction notices on 35 mothers living with their children at Geneva House, Kraaifontein.
Once more I was approached to assist these people, who were dumped with their children and meagre belongings on an open field in the winter cold and rain, where they remained for four months.
The Western Cape Social Services Department failed to give them emergency food supplies, or even blankets. I had to solicit help from the NGO Gift of the Givers and churches in the area for food and tents to help the people. Some babies became ill and needed medical treatment, but the Western Cape Health Department failed to assist.
With the help of the HRC, lawyers were appointed to represent the 35 families. Judge Dennis Davis ordered that the families be allowed to return to Geneva House, where they are still staying, to the best of my knowledge.
No action was taken against any of the MECs or officials for their actions.
And now Debbie Schäfer.
In my opinion, the DA does not deserve the vote of any coloured person unless a public apology is offered for their actions towards us. I, as president of The BBB (Bruin Bemagtiging Beweging) demand an explanation and an apology from the DA.