XOLANI SOTASHE KICKS OFF ANC'S RACE-BAITING CAMPAIGN
With the municipal elections around the corner ANC councilor, Xolani Sotashe, on Tuesday kicked off the ANC's race-baiting campaign by alleging evidence of racism in the DA-led City of Cape Town's response to the inexcusable dumping of expired foodstuffs by a private company in Lwandle (see Cape Times report).
The City of Cape Town provides weekly door-to-door refuse removal and cleaning services to all dwellings in Pholile Park, as it does in informal settlements across the City. It has also deployed specialized equipment no fewer than three times in the last six months to clean up large scale dumping in the area.
When it became known that dangerous food had been dumped, it immediately deployed its Solid Waste Department to remove the goods, hired extra cleaning services, instituted a probe into the matter and sent samples of the dumped food for toxicology tests. The results of the tests are expected to be known during the course of next week.
I have asked for legal advice to determine the City's rights in prosecuting the offenders. As DA leader in the Cape Town Metro region, I am determined to ensure that those responsible for this dangerous act feel the full brunt of the law.
It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the ANC resorts to playing the race card time and again. As it faces widespread anger at its dismal record in municipal government, race-baiting is all it has left. We expect to see many more examples of this deplorable practice over the coming months.
While the ANC continues to try and divide our residents along racial lines to hide their failed record in municipal government, we in the DA will continue to deliver excellent, efficient, clean government to all the people of Cape Town, as we have done for the past five years. On Election Day 2011, the voters will make their choice. We are confident that the politics of unity and good governance will once again trump that of hate and division.
Statement issued by Grant Pascoe, DA Cape Town Metro Region Chairperson, January 13 2011
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