POLITICS

DA govt guilty of massive underspending - Marius Fransman

ANC WCape leader says targets are not being reached and too many consultants used (Nov 27)

ANC exposes DA failures in annual reports

The ANC Western Cape says it is clear the DA still caters mostly for its rich constituency, while in general neglecting the poor and the DA seems to be satisfied that inferior services are rendered to those who need it most.

The annual report that today served before the Western Cape legislature shows severe problems of massive underspending (under delivery of services) amounting in excess of R411 million, with many targets not reached, overly use of consultants, still too many incidents recorded of wasteful and fruitless or even irregular expenditure as well as fraud and corruption that is rife under the DA.

Despite reduced targets, the DA since 2009 still builds far less houses, while there are serious problems with health and education provision. Far too many positions are still not filled across most departments leading to less people to do the job.

ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman says: "The Western Cape is the province where the divide grows under the DA and racism is on the up in rich areas. This is part of the trend where the DA claims to do a lot for the poor, but when the reports come out, in too many cases it proves failure - even after targets were lowered or deliberately set too low to project so-called ‘successes' and the main budget was adjusted to paint a more rosy picture.

"In just the provincial department of public works and transport we saw only 8% going to historically disadvantaged individuals and it does not comply with legislation. More than R110 million was paid to a suspect contractor Filcon who did not complete the projects it was paid to and alternatives must now be sourced to finish the schools in Darling and Atlantis.

"Subsequently it came to light that a former employee of Filcon worked in the department when tenders were awarded... This matter was referred by the ANC to the public protector, who seems to be dragging feet. Is it strange that the person who now heads the premier's forensic investigation unit also investigated the corruptive communication contract in the department of the premier that took an interesting turn after serious findings were amended; and only recently left the public protector...? We demand this Filcon investigation be finished by the end of the year.

"The provincial housing budget went up, but the spent went down and the delivery of houses decreased so much that the province is now behind Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. On education; the Western Cape has the highest drop-out rate and the worst rural enrolment level in the country while the matric pass rate fell back from leader under the ANC to the fourth position in South Africa in the reporting year."

The province also suffers due to the closure of schools in poor and farming areas, while the department spends too much energy fighting communities while an expected 10 500 children that will not get into a school next year.

"It is mostly coloured and African children that are affected. We saw an increase in race attacks recently in the province which is due to DA denialism and calling black people refugees in the Western Cape. This attitude in the province is influenced by what happened in government too. In fact premier Helen Zille runs institutionalised racism in her government where blacks (coloured and African) in and out of government are suppressed.

"Predominantly whites are appointed in higher management positions. The situation is not equal. The ANC calls for roundtable discussions between the provincial government, legislature and religious leaders to address these problems. Compliance to certain issues is one thing, but delivery of services to the poor is a totally different matter," Fransman added.

The ANC highlighted and other key issues in the debate on the annual reports. The evidence is for all to see in black and white printed in the reports of the 13 departments, the legislature and 12 entities or agencies supported by the provincial government.

Statement issued by ANC Western Cape leader, Marius Fransman, November 28 2014

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