The relocation of the illegal shack dwellers on the Central railway line running through the Cape Flats, has been decided upon without consulting the people of the receiving community known as “The Wedge”.
While national government and one of its State Owned Enterprises, PRASA, have made the decision to carry out the relocation, in agreement with the illegal squatters, the City of Cape Town sits quietly accepting this gross injustice being imposed on its own “legal” and long suffering residents.
Yet again, the coloured community is being ignored and decisions made without due consideration by the political parties in power, including the local and provincial government of the Western Cape, for the innocent communities being severely negatively affected by such unilateral decisions.
Most disturbingly, local government often hides behind the excuse that many issues are not their responsibility, but that of national government, while the residents of the Western Cape continue to suffer, and at the same time bragging about how much better municipalities run by them are than those run by the ANC.
To be better than the ANC is easy, they simply need to breath. However, this by a long shot doesn’t mean they are well run, especially because the “Will of the people” in the WC continues to be ignored.
One of numerous secessionist movements around South Africa, and by far the biggest one, seeking independence for the Western Cape, Capexit.org, a non party political civic organisation, has come out strongly in support of Mitchell’s Plain and the residents of the Cape Flats who oppose this relocation plan, and are sick and tired of being pushed aside.
One of the founders and directors of Capexit, Des Palm, points out that, “Independence of the Western Cape will address exactly this issue of top down government domination and will be reversed by proposing a system of “direct democracy” along the lines of the Swiss Canton system, where each community, (Canton / Municipality) decides for itself, and implements its own decisions itself.”
He further points out that, “of the 829.432 registered mandates so far received from WC residents seeking sovereign independence, approximately 65% (540.000) are from the Coloured community and 60% (480.000) are DA supporters with the number growing daily, yet the DA continues to oppose independence, or put another way, to ignore the Will of the people on a grand scale. Our aim is to collate roughly 1.6 million mandates before requesting a referendum on independence on the question, “Independence: Yes or No?”
In the words of Councillor Fadiel Adams of the Cape Coloured Congress, “What we envision for Mitchell’s Plain and all other areas, is a safe and secure place where children can go to school without fear, where sewage isn’t running onto the streets and where backyard dwellings are a thing of the past…” (paraphrased)
Councillor Elton Jansen of the DA says he has already informed Mayor Geordin Hill Lewis that he will oppose such motion, regardless of the party’s stance, a brave move that shows personal integrity and regard for the people he serves above that of the party.
For as long as political parties continue to make decisions over the heads of “the people”, this misery, inequality and disrespectful indignity will continue.
The solution exists, it’s implementation can begin as soon as 1.6 million residents, regardless of race, religion or political preference, have registered their support for the referendum on capexit.org
It’s as simple as that.
Capexit will encourage its members to join the residents of Mitchell’s Plain and all areas to participate once the issue is opened for public participation, and urges all citizens of the WC to register their support for a referendum on capexit.org
After all, the “people” deserve to be asked.
