Dear Editor
The DA in the Western Cape has noted the statement by ANC Member of the Provincial Legislature, Andile Lili, regarding the servicing of the Madiba Park restitution project in Greyton, Theewaterskloof Municipality.
Instead of dealing with the concerns at hand:
- The lack of provision of services to the Madiba Park community from the custodian of the land, the National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD); and
- Minister Thoko Didiza’s failure to respond and approve the municipality’s request for land use and to install interim basic services in the community.
The ANC is attempting to shift responsibility away from the DALRRD.
The facts are that the informal settlement is on land under the custodianship of DALRRD, which has failed to provide basic services to the affected community, and the Minister has failed to approve requests by the municipality for it to service the community itself. Even under the previous DA-dispensation similar requests were made to Minister Didiza’s predecessors without any concrete feedback.
During a recent oversight visit to the Theewaterskloof Municipality officials revealed that they have written to Minister Didiza and asked for permission to install interim basic services in the informal settlement and that these requests have not been responded to.
Member Lili is being extremely hypocritical by accusing the DA of trying to play politics when his party is the one attempting to do damage control for their failure to deliver services to the people of Madiba Park.
As a Member of the Provincial Legislature and Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Human Settlements, I have a responsibility to perform oversight in the interest of ensuring that the people of this province are served with dignity.
Slinging mud will not bring basic services to the people of Madiba Park and I therefore call on Member Lili to reach out to his ANC colleague, Minister Didiza, to ask her to answer the 2 letters sent by the municipality and to bring dignity to this community.
Regards
Matlhodi Maseko, MPP
DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Human Settlements
