ANC demands DA stop targeting minstrels
The ANC Western Cape condemns the relentless oppression and target by the DA-run Cape Town of the minstrels. This was again evident by the frivolous and vexatious interdict the city sought to restrain the traditional activities of residents - indeed a nasty Valentine's Day gift to the poor and their children (see EWN report).
The ANC also notes that the DA-run city acts like minstrels are still subservient slaves that need to be disciplined, whipped into place and prohibited from freely indulging in their own culture. The DA-led City of Cape Town this weekend approached the Western Cape High Court for an interdict to prevent Cape Town Minstrel troupes from doing their traditional honours laps with trophies after the prize giving on Saturday afternoon in Athlone.
It is also noted that it would mean many club members would not be able to go home in groups after they were dropped off by hired buses at central points in communities. It would also have been devastating for the at least four resident clubs (klopse) of the Bo-Kaap / Schottsche Kloof where buses cannot operate on steep slopes and cobble roads if they could not march to their own living areas. Agreements between lawyers early this afternoon led to the City backing off and permission for a small number of groups to march in the Bo-Kaap (old slave or Malay married quarters in the city bowl).
ANC Western Cape says: "The ANC together with our communities are disgusted by the DA's fixation and continuous interference with minstrel expressions of freedom, constructive activities and heritage. The DA clearly again went out of its way to punish all minstrels for their colourful participation in the ANC's 103rd birthday celebration on 10 January 2015 in Cape Town by prohibiting their free movement and street entertainment this weekend. They are treated like second class citizens.
"The municipality in Cape Town is overly fixated on its by-laws and acts like a micromanaging control freak. Instead of playing cowboys and crooks with the lives of law-abiding people, the city should play a more conducive role to facilitate and assist these communities in their expression and exercising their very unique Cape culture stemming from the slave time, past their emancipation up until the liberation of our people.
"We do not need more suppression, but more room to publicly express freedom and those things close to our hearts. Our people are not puppets in the hands of the DA ‘rulers'... The disrespectful DA leaders on hubris premier Helen Zille's watch are indeed servants in the employ of the people and should seek and advance the wishes of these full and free citizens. The spoilsport DA should publicly apologise for assault on our people."
The ANC congratulates all winners and other teams who worked hard during the past year to take part in this wonderful spectacle to showcase our people's diversity.
"It is unacceptable that the DA-run city hides behind racist - mostly white - shop owners who purportedly complained about the marching and the ensuing insinuation that coloureds are a lower order of citizens, dirty and should be kept out of certain privileged areas of the city. By taking the side of the racists, the city associates itself with the same racism and indeed showed up the mostly white supported and racist DA! The ANC calls on all people to open their eyes and see these racist actions for what it is and from whom it comes," Fransman added.
Statement issued by ANC Western Cape leader, Marius Fransman, February 15 2015
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