BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane champions economic justice in Gugulethu, Cape Town. Picture: Supplied.
BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane delivered a stirring address in Gugulethu, Cape Town, on Saturday highlighting the pervasive economic injustices plaguing the Western Cape.
Maimane emphasised that a nation’s greatness is determined by how it treats its most vulnerable members.
Surrounded by the harsh conditions of Gugulethu, Maimane raised questions about what the poor living standards indicate about the government’s performance.
“The government has a lacklustre track record -- the failure of service delivery, inadequate infrastructure, and persistent unemployment despite years in power.
“I challenged the excuses of blame-shifting to the national government, stressing that billions in public funds have been allocated annually without tangible improvements for the citizens.”
Maimane said that the blue party has not only failed to deliver basic services to its people, it has also displayed an economic segregation between a Cape Town that boasts wealth, while others wallow in poverty.
He said the DA has had more than 15 years running the province, yet many suffer from poor service delivery, poverty, food insecurity, poor sanitation and infrastructure.
The DA continues to blame the national government for its failure to render services, he said. “It is the national government’s fault, the DA says.
“But they have had trillions of rand of public funds over this time. They, the DA, pass a local and provincial budget each year, comprising billions of rand. Where has it all gone? And who has benefited?” asked Maimane.
Bosa, with its promising slogan “a job in every home”, noted that while the DA crowns itself with an illusion that a large part of the province is employed, more than 864 000 people remain unemployed.
This follows after the DA claimed it provincially created more than 360 000 jobs in one year; and it will further create 2 million jobs in five years as part of its manifesto.
Furthermore, a food transformation study in 2021, titled “The State of Food Security in Cape Town and St Helena Bay”, by Dr Augustine Malvido, Alexander Mewes, Professor Markus Hanisch, among others, revealed that 45% of Gugulethu residents are severely food insecure, followed by St Helena Bay at 42% and Khayelitsha recorded 36%.
This is due to extreme poverty of the townships, especially those which were economically affected by Covid-19.
Painting a stark picture of disparity, Maimane contrasted the affluent areas with the neglected townships, where residents endure substandard living conditions and struggle with unemployment.
“BOSA’s commitment is to creating a more equitable Western Cape, devoid of entrenched patterns of exclusion.
“We need a government that prioritises service delivery and job creation in every community, promising a progressive administration under BOSA’s leadership.”
He condemned the spatial legacy of apartheid, where economic activity remains concentrated in certain areas, perpetuating inequality.
“BOSA’s plans are to invest in affordable housing and establish Township Special Economic Zones (TSEZs) to stimulate local economies and create job opportunities.
“The potential of TSEZs is to allow residents to work where they live, reducing transportation costs and fostering stronger family bonds.”
Moreover, Maimane detailed BOSA’s vision to support entrepreneurs and attract businesses to townships through tax incentives and streamlined regulations.
He envisioned a thriving ecosystem of local businesses, creating employment closer to home and reducing dependence on distant job markets.
“BOSA’s commitment is to putting a job in every home,” he said and and urged voters to support the party’s cause for economic justice in the upcoming elections.
With a rallying cry for a fairer and more inclusive Western Cape, he called upon citizens to choose BOSA to pursue a brighter future for all.