The majority of councillors in the Drakenstein Municipality are from Paarl East. Most of these councillors are deployed by the ruling party, others are deployed by the opposition parties. These are the leaders that are expected to improve the living conditions of people in their respective communities. In essence Paarl East is the stronghold of the ruling party. For the past two decades the status quo has remained the same in our local government.
For the past two decades the people of Paarl East are still lingering in poverty, unemployment, huge inequality, gangsterism, teenage pregnancy and all other social ills. Paarl East is still full of slums, ghettos and informal settlements. In reality Paarl East is supposed to be the hub and centre of development. The problem is, most of these leaders that are supposed to bring about change and development are embroiled in politics of the stomach, self interest and putting profit before the people.
Paarl East is fortunate because it is the home of prominent, visionary and foresighted leaders such as Elizabeth Nana Abrahams and others. These leaders were always advancing the interest of the poor, working class and the marginalized; even during the Apartheid era they never gave up. The current leadership should take lessons from their forebears.
The executive mayor is the brain child of Paarl East, but he seems to be more white than black. He seems as if he does not have the interest of his subjects at heart. I am observing the tendencies of capitalism from our honourable mayor and his council. Our beautiful vineyards, that used to provide employment to the poor and working class, are continuously being destroyed in favour of big estates that benefit only the rich. Our people are continuously evicted from the farms and displaced to areas completely strange to their lifestyles.
Amid all these atrocities there is no political will from the mayor and his council to prevent this. This silence gives an impression that the mayor may be benefiting in one way or the other. In conclusion I want to make a clarion call to the communities of Paarl East to wake up, smell the coffee and start looking for an alternative political home that will advance their interests and improve their living conditions. Together we can make the change that we desire.
