The fourth #Makana16 Election Connection debate took place on the Rhodes University campus on Wednesday evening in the Zoology Major lecture theatre.
The fourth #Makana16 Election Connection debate took place on the Rhodes University campus on Wednesday evening in the Zoology Major lecture theatre.
The series is a joint project of Radio Grahamstown, Rhodes Music Radio (RMR) and Grocott’s Mail in association with staff and students of the Rhodes School of Journalism and Media Studies.
This week's edition was broadcast live by RMR 89.7 and live-streamed on Radio Grahamstown and the audience was invited to join via social media.
The theme of the debates is ‘Improving service delivery, eliminating corruption and making Grahamstown a decent place to live and work.’
Penellists were the EFF’s Siya Bashe, Mthobisi Buthelezi (ANC), Nozipo Plaatjie (Cope), Darryn Holm (DA) and the United Front's Brian Plaatjie.
Ntsiki Mazwai was the MC and Xolani Kondile was the chairperson.
The next #Makana16 Election Connection Debate will be at the City Hall, 5.30 on 1 June.
The panellists were given a platform to open the debate and explain their respective parties’ plans to deliver services to the people. Below are their opening remarks:
Brian Plaatjie, UF
The United Front is a non-racial, non-sexist organisation which is determined to be the vanguard of the marginalised and the poor. The UF is in conjunction with many social movements. We can no longer at this stage tolerate [the government’s excuses about delivering]services. South Africa has 22 years into democracy now and… people are tired of the rhetoric.
We want toilets. We are 22 years now into democracy and we are still having poor sanitation. Just across the town we are still using the bucket system and we say that we need a sense of urgency. We can no longer sit as the people and listen to the excuses of the ANC… the United Front is the people’s movement. It’s in conjunction with Numsa and other stakeholders, here in Grahamstown it’s in conjunction with UPM which is the vanguard.
Darryn Holm, DA
This year’s local government election is going to be a very important one. Because in this year’s elections, South Africans are going to get the opportunity to vote for change. A change that we as South Africans we so desperately need and deserve.
We as the Democratic Alliance are not a party for positions, we are party of governance.
We have governed in the Western Cape and have governed 27 municipalities in the country. Where we govern we ensure that we have public representatives that are honest, corruption free and are employed based on their skills and not on their memberships.
We ensure that we bring quality service delivery for each and every individual.
We also ensure that where we govern we create a environment that is conducive to economic growth and provide opportunities for individuals to find work.
We have 8.9 million unemployed South Africans. The first quarter of 2016 added 300 000 people but even in these tough economic times the Western Cape managed to employ an additional 4 000 people.
We have also shown that we have meaningful solutions for the people of South Africa.
In this year’s election you have the opportunity to vote for five years of empty promises or five years of change. A change that we have seen and that we want to bring to this municipality as well.
Nozipho Plaatjie, Cope
I feel very young today and I’m honoured by that. Cope puts people first and puts people in the centre of their own development. That is the Batho Pele principles.
If you remember we all agreed as South Africans that we will put people first… But for the past 22 years that has not happened and as Cope we want to make sure that does happen.
However, we know that today we are dealing mostly with students… we will focus on the corruption that is happening in Makana, we will focus on unemployment. Because we know that as students when you leave this institution you have to go and find employment.
We will also focus on safety and sexual offences, which is what we are very concerned about.
Also we will be dealing with education, looking at NSFAS, looking at what we mean when say we want equal education. And what Cope can do to make sure it happens.
Also we want to talk about the distribution of this fund (NSFAS): how do we distribute the funds, why do we wait as government until students come to the institution?
Most of these students don’t have NSFAS, Cope can’t tolerate that. If we are in government we will make sure that when we talk about equal opportunities it must also happen.
And also we going to talk about the respect of human beings.
We want this matter of gender abuse and sexual offences to end as Cope. And we want people to respect one another as they deserve dignity.
As Cope we want to prepare work opportunities for the students. This institution must make sure that you interact with the private sector and overseas countries so that… at least when you go out here you can get a job.
Mthobisi Buthelezi, ANC
I think the mistake that everyone who’s gathered here can make is to think that people sitting on the panel have all the answers.
We do not posses the monopoly of knowledge, nor does any elected official of government.
It is important that when we execute our work as prospective public representatives, we must interact with our communities and foster closer relations in the local government sphere with our communities.
At the end of the day you can have national government and provincial government – but the people who face everyday challenges are those employed in local government.
I’m looking around the room and I'm seeing the number of black faces that are right here. My presence even here is a victory of the African National Congress.
I was sitting in the very same desks that you are sitting right now. I have been a beneficiary of NSFAS, I have been a beneficiary of the policies of the African National Congress.
A lot has been done. But a lot more needs to be done. We must be honest with ourselves and acknowledge the victories that we have scored and look forward to the challenges that still needs to be addressed for the people.
Siya Bashe, EFF
As we are EFF and going to stand for the first time for the local government elections, it’s clear and I’m very happy seeing all the people whot are going to vote for the EFF.
I’m very happy to stand in front of you and I’m very lucky today to debate at Rhodes University, as I’m from Seven Fountains in the rural areas – the abandoned area: they forgot that there are people like us in those areas. The only thing that they were thinking of was their vote and after that they left.
Now EFF is here to make sure that all those people from rural areas will get better services and their land back.
Our election manifesto is clear, our councillors will work six days and we won’t take councillors from Mthatha, just because he is a criminal from Mthatha.
All Makana wards are going to stand and that shows EFF is here to stay. I want to thank RMR very much. After this coming five years I will make sure that I don’t come back because I will have done everything that needs to be done.
ROUND ONE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q. EFF member to DA panellist
You were a student here I know, you articulated your stance as a DA and how you govern, but I didn’t hear you mentioning how you are going to solve student issues and bring
about transformation at Rhodes University… I just want to hear your stance… especially regarding black students at Rhodes University?
Q. Audience person to UF panellist
I would like to know from the UF how you would solve the issue of RDP houses that are mostly occupied by ANC members.
Q. EFF member to EFF panellist
When we have taken over this municipality how are we going to improve or develop Seven Fountains? Because there are no toilets, roads and houses there.
A. DA answers
I think the fundamental issue that we are facing here is that there is complete lack of funding for higher education. So black students specifically are denied entry into universities because of this matter.
If you look at the national allocation of funds into higher education institutions you will see that last year 0.57 percent of the budget was allocated to higher education and that is the lowest percentage in Africa, even though we have the most universities.
That is a shame. This year's budget specifically, we proposed to the ANC government to make available extra funding because transformation is getting access to education.
The ANC rejected that.
A. UF answers
We have mobilised people who have concerns over the housing issue. It’s a very complex issue this matter of the houses. We have set up measures in place which I can’t disclose unfortunately at this stage.
We are working with the law and there is someone that has sold houses for R30 000. We have launched a campaign to clean the corruption in the housing sector.
A. EFF answers
The only thing that we will do as the EFF is to give people their land and they would be able to build better houses – not those houses we see in Extension 10. We are going to take back our land and build better houses for the people. We will work hand in hand with the community.
ROUND TWO
Q.Rhodes University student to ANC panellist
We can’t afford to live in some residential areas here in Grahamstown, what are you going to do to change that?
Q. Cosas regional member to EFF panellist
How are you going to make sure that alcohol is not sold in Seven Fountain and people live a better life?
Q. EFF member to ANC panellist
After 22 years you have failed to deliver services to the people of Makana. I would like to know what kind of a change will you bring now?
A. ANC answers
Populism must not be the order of the day as opposed to the truth. Panellists must not lie because at the end of the day you will have to account for what you have said.
Secondly on the issue of the houses, Grahamstown is a colonial city. There are features that still characterise it as a colonial city. The police station is where the division starts: people call that side eRhini and this side Grahamstown and this is a fact. If you talk about change you must focus on those students who are pushed to live in the location.
These discussions are not new to us. The municipality led by the councillor of Ward 12 must try and engage with the estate agents on how to solve the issue.
A.EFF answers
The issue of alcohol, if you go past Seven Fountain you will find people there hitch-hiking and coming here to Grahamstown.
You must stop providing people of Seven Fountain with alcohol. Secondly on the issue of service delivery, over the 22 years, you have failed to provide us with services. You took away our budget and bought bottles of alcohol with it.
ROUND THREE
Q. ANC to Cope panellist
What are you doing about sexual violence since this debate is taking place on the Rhodes campus where there were protests recently?
Q. Audience person to DA
If you win the elections, are you going to construct the toilets that you gave to the people of Cape Town, because your leaders said those are the kinds of toilets that black people deserve.
Q. Audience person to ANC panellist
Why is the kaolin that we have here being taken by companies from outside Grahamstown and not being used to create job opportunities?
ANSWERS
A. Cope answers
Cope is very clear on what to do. Rape is a societal problem and it needs to be engaged by means of awareness campaigns. We do make research as Cope even if we are a small party.
Even here at Rhodes in the leadership there are less women and more males. Equality is important. Males are the perpetrators, talk to them, but most of them want to listen to you, they are ashamed of what others are doing. Secondly we are aware that 30 percent here at Rhodes have not received NSFAS funding and we are not only just saying that, we are doing research.
A. ANC answering.
I don’t know of Rhodes University students who have not been allocated NSFAS. There have been popular struggles that have been happening this year but not about a number of students who were not given NSFAS funding.
Secondly, Unfortunately I didn’t get the second question well but the Local Economic Development has to be able to stop if local resources are sold outside. If that resource could be used to curb poverty that has to stop.
A.DA answers
The toilet issue, the toilets being built in ward 2, 7 and 10 were meant to be made in Cape Town. We do make sure that sanitation is the priority. Sanitation here in Makana is a disaster.
This municipality will only act once a disaster takes place. Another thing is that the bucket system is a problem. But in Walmer township in PE there are more buckets than in the whole of Cape Town.
ROUND FOUR
Q. EFF member to ANC
What action plan does the ANC have for wards 10 and 3, the informal settlements?
Q.Audience to ANC
What is the ANC doing with their members who are selling our grandparents’ RDP houses?
Q. ANC member to DA
What’s your stance on transformation here at Rhodes and police brutality?
ANSWERS
A. ANC answers
The action plan for ward 10 will depend on material conditions on the ground. On houses, I have a problem if you claim that there are people that are doing corruption.
You need to do research before coming here and making such claims on a platform like this. You must bring material proof or report it to the police. We must allow investigations and due processes to take place. Let’s allow police to intervene and the accused a chance to stand in court.
A. DA answering
Transformation is funding. If the majority of students want the name change then we must follow the processes. At the same time we need to understand that a name change affects the branding of the university and will cost millions of rands and that will deny a majority of students access to funding.
The next election debate takes place in the City Hall, Grahamstown, on 1 June 2016 at 5:30pm.
