The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape notes with shock and dismay the recent rise in illegal land grabs and protest action, especially in the City of Cape Town. These actions are not only illegal but also seem to be orchestrated and aimed at destabilising lawful anti-land invasion operations and delegitimising good governance in the Western Cape.
These illegal land invasions and protest action often come with terrible acts of violence and vandalism, putting people’s lives in danger, destroying property and much-needed community facilities.
This week we witnessed how the brand new clinic in Khayelitsha, The Desmond Tutu Hall, was set on fire. This facility was specifically built to serve and treat Covid-19 patients. This horrific act was in response to the tearing down of illegal structures in Makhaza.
The DA in the Western Cape considers these illegal acts as political opportunism, where the Covid-19 crisis is exploited and our government’s attempts to uphold the law are disrupted.
The DA-run Western Cape Government is leading in the fight against Covid-19 and it has used the hard lockdown period to properly prepare for the peak of the pandemic by increasing screening, testing, tracking and treatment. The Western Cape has put our residents first and managed by all means necessary to successfully manage the pandemic and save many lives.
It is appalling that politically driven criminals try to destroy the progress that has been made in this regard, purely in an attempt to soil the reputation of a well-run City and Province. We believe that these delinquents were emboldened by opportunistic visits by the Police Minister, Bheki Cele, and interpreted these visits as a license to break the law.
In the City of Cape Town, these illegally occupied pieces of land are earmarked for development and service delivery. By obstructing the City to complete these developments, the delivery of services to our residents will be delayed and it is the people of the area who will bear the brunt of these illicit acts.
The leaders of these orchestrated land invasions have also been committing crimes by selling government land to desperate, poor people.
With the 2020 Local Elections around the corner, it does not seem farfetched to regard these unlawful actions as politically motivated. On top of this, it is sickening to see that people’s lives are being put in danger for political gains.
The DA in Western Cape applauds the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government for putting people first and serving us all with distinction. We support them in their efforts and encourage them to not be deterred by criminals and political opportunists.
If our political opponents in this province believe that they are scoring any political points with these actions, they are gravely mistaking. It has been proven time and time again that such attempts at ungovernability will be rejected and punished at the ballot box – as we believe will once again happen in the 2021 Local Government Election.
Where the DA governs, it governs well and we will not be discouraged in our efforts to create a better South Africa for all.