While the country celebrated Freedom Day on Thursday, opposition parties in the North West called on the communities to shun the African National Congress (ANC) because of its failure to fulfil its promise of a better life when it was voted into power in 1994.
Both Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) believe celebrating this day is just a futile exercise of wasteful expenditure when the country is going through the worst electricity crisis, rampant crime, record-high unemployment, and general poverty.
The celebration comes just after the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) found the Ngaka Modiri Molema and the Tswaing local municipalities have violated the rights of residents by failing to provide basic services like clean water and sanitation.
The EFF’s North West, chairperson Matshidiso Botswe, said poverty is so high that it is no longer justifiable to spend millions of rands on events such as the Freedom Day celebration addressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Klerksdorp.
“When the ANC was voted into power it found the legacy that was left by the apartheid government. They found the legacy that was found by Bophuthatswana but failed to maintain those legacies. So celebrating a day like this while the residents are living in terrible conditions is useless, and it will not help us in any way.
“The government needs to change the way they spend money all in the name of celebrating days like these. These funds are just used to campaign for the ANC in events like freedom day. The funds that are used to cater for such events should instead be diverted to various projects that will help improve the lives of the residents,” Botswe said.
DA Deputy Provincial Leader Freddy Sonakile accused the ruling party of using the poor as voting cattle.
“Just where the national Freedom Day is held in Alabama in Klerksdorp residents were picketing over the past few days, citing that they have been forgotten by the government. We still have pit toilets in the North West, asbestos schools, and residents with no water and proper sanitation.
“It is also concerning that a rural province like the North West is befitting to be a host province for celebrations, and not befitting to get services that ensure that the freedoms of residents are observed. It is not yet Uhuru for most of the residents, especially in the North West. Ballot boxes can get to them but development cannot,” said Sonakile.
The North West University legal expert Tumi Mmusinyane believes electoral laws reforms will give citizens a greater say in how the country is run.
“The Constitutional Court has made a decision about the need to amend the electoral laws, and we are waiting for the government to gazette such laws because that law can enable even individuals to run for Presidency and as a Premier So that is likely to dilute the power of dominance of one political party. This is to such an extent that people will be able to depend on themselves to say that they want this certain to be our leaders.
“Not this current electoral system where you vote for a party. It’s a party that then decides who becomes their leader. And that is very wrong, if it was not for that we would not be where we are right now. The ANC is led by people who don’t have the interest of people. Hence we are where we are today,” Mmusinyane said.
Ahead of Ramaphosa’s address, residents in areas such as Alabama, Jouberton and Jacaranda outside Klerksdorp where the national celebration was held said they have lost hope in the ANC government.
One of the residents in Mahikeng, Keobakile Motlhabedi, doesn’t believe there is freedom when most black people are still oppressed and others don’t have access to water and electricity.
“Unemployment, especially among the youth, continues to rise. Graduates sitting at home and still relying on their parent’s pension for survival, it can’t be freedom,” said Motlhabedi.
Tshepang Gabanakgosi, shared Motlhabedi’s sentiments and said celebrating the day is useless.
“I am 37- years old, I work for a black company where I’m exploited. I don’t have a choice because I have to put food on the table. And then you will get government institutions where you will be told that you owe SARS.
“This freedom is just a scam. Look at how now load shedding has become a new normal. Staying in South Africa is a curse. So for me it really makes no difference what the president says or whatever they do to loot their useless government,” said Gabanakgosi.
