Put moratorium on farm evictions and review ESTA

The ANC Western Cape calls for a moratorium on evictions from farms, a review of the Extension of Security of Tenure Act (ESTA), community initiatives to fight crime and support for small and medium enterprises and cooperatives.

The Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) of the ANC Western Cape met over the weekend to discuss issues affecting our communities. It remains convinced that the DA-run provincial government of the Western Cape wishes rather to score cheap political points than seek to resolve these challenges faced by the most vulnerable in our province.

There has been a general lack of meaningful agrarian reform in South Africa and in the Western Cape in particular. At the same time, the weak implementation of policy on agrarian reform as well as the loopholes in legislation have all led to a crisis in our rural communities. Equity schemes proved to be inadequate and have not necessarily brought about the improvement in the lives of rural communities especially initially envisaged.

The PEC notes that this province has seen massive evictions from farms of workers and dwellers which have led to the displacement of people and disruption of families; all of which has had disastrous consequences for schooling and employment. As a result, unemployment has increased in our rural towns, pressure has been exerted on limited resources in these municipalities while a sprawling of informal settlements have taken place. The demand for service delivery has increased in our rural towns, because of the effects of these evictions, yet municipalities have not budgeted for the extra services and consequently we have seen service delivery protests.

The illogic of the DA government in the Western Cape has meant that they have tacitly supported these evictions while not considering the catastrophic consequences. The ANC declares that the DA government has been irresponsible in their support of the evictions and notes that this borders on political posturing. The provincial government has no meaningful strategy to address the issues in rural towns and farming communities.

The ANC notes with concern how ESTA has been manipulated by farmers, the judiciary and the police, especially in rural towns. Farm labourers and dwellers remain at the receiving end of the tactic which says: ‘Evict now, argue later'. There are numerous cases of people who have been dumped along highways and this remains inhumane, immoral and undermines the fundamental human rights of our people.

The ANC resolved to advocate for a review of ESTA in order to strengthen the rights of farm workers and dwellers. The ANC will formally request national government to engage with farmers, workers and dwellers in order for them to understand the importance of transformation in the agrarian sector as well as the policies pursued by national government. In particular, the ANC calls for an urgent rural summit in order to consolidate the efforts of all those organisations and NGO's who seek to defend and promote the rights of farm workers and dwellers.

The recent crime statistics have seen a spike in the number of murders and other crimes. This relates directly to the breakdown in family life, social challenges faced by communities, lack of facilities and infrastructure, such as lighting, proper roads and proper housing. The ANC reaffirms its call for a multi-agency approach on crime which will see all spheres of government, working together, in order to defeat crime in the province.

The ANC calls on all communities to work closely with the police in the fight crime. In particular, we call on our communities to fight the scourge of crime against women and children. As a priority, the ANC demands that the Western Cape government puts its resources where its mouth is and refrain from waiting on only national government to tackle the issues of crime. Today the ANC reiterates that the provincial government must stop gambling with the lives of the poor in the fight against crime.

The ANC will actively campaign for the promotion and advancement of small and medium enterprises and cooperatives in the provinces. This is part of the ANC's goal of achieving economic freedom in our life-time. The ANC will be leading the debates in the provincial legislature and in municipalities in supporting black owned SMME's and co-ops who have up until now been marginalized by the province and City of Cape Town under the DA in opportunities to expand and grow. The city and province have hitherto been supporting big business and the ANC will be engaging with state agencies and big business to ensure inclusive and shared growth.

The preparation for regional conferences of the ANC has started in earnest. The PEC has noted the progress made thus far by its structures, including the membership that now stands at more than 45 000 in the province. It has also seen the establishment and building of ANC branches in areas where the ANC has never had a presence before. Regional conferences are expected to start in November and will hopefully end by the end of the year.

The ANC Western Cape welcomes the decision by the NEC of the ANC to celebrate the 103rd anniversary of the ANC here in the Western Cape on 10 January 2015 at the Cape Town Stadium. With this event the ANC hopes to reactivate the mass character of the ANC which is non-racial as well as to ensure that all members build the unity of purpose of the movement. No doubt, the ANC will use the event as part of its preparation for the local government elections in 2016 and continue to pursue the aim of cadre development in this, its Decade of the Cadre.

The ANC Western Cape is excited about the upcoming by-elections, especially the one to be held in Drakenstein where we are almost certain we will retain the ward. The ANC looks forward to contesting other wards in Overberg and Cape Town later in November.

Statement issued by Songezo Mjongile, ANC Western Cape provincial spokesperson, October 14 2014

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