SOPA 2020 REPLY
Honorable Speaker, Honorable Premier, Honorable leaders of political parties and members of the legislature of Heads of Provincial Departments.
Assalaamu Alaikum Warahmahtullahi Wabarakaatu …..Good Morning….Molweni….Goeie More
Just recently we have all taken an oath to uphold the national and provincial constitution and to respect all laws that govern our country and province. The Constitution professes a better life for all citizens; thousands of people, young and old made many sacrifices, some paid with their lives against oppression, we honor and remember our fallen heroes.
Education is very close to the heart of Al Jama-ah as it shapes the lives of our future generation and that of our country. I quote Malcolm X: “Education is our passport to the future for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepared for it today.”
EDUCATION
Al Jama-ah is opposed to the Comprehensive Sexuality Education and view the content of the explicit content of sexual material as soft porn. The Comprehensive Sexual Education to be taught to Grade 4 to Grade 12 learners is incomplete as it does not cover morality associated with sex, sexual dysfunctions and deviations and the institution of marriage. The CSE is devoid of morality and is in many ways unacceptable to our value system. Members of the public have logged several complaints at the National and Provincial Parliament Constituency offices against the CSE, parents are against the CSE and feel their role in this matter has been undermined. Al Jama-ah will not hesitate to lay criminal charges against the WCED, teachers and principals who are teaching soft porn to children. Exposing children to explicit sexual material is a violation of the current Sexual Offences Act.
Honorable Premier, still on Education, we commend the Province for coming to the assistance of struggling private religious schools in poor areas. Prior to the new South African Schools Act many of these poor private schools were compliant. However, with the new Act, they faced challenges and thus fell behind with meeting the necessary requirements. You have also stated that schools in the Province are faced with overcrowding and we do not have enough schools. We appeal to you not to close the private religious schools who have been non-compliant due to administrative issues, but rather to put a strategy in place to train and assist these schools with the challenges they are facing. The Ihlaasiniyah school is now compliant and accommodates children from the townships and surrounding areas. We thank the WCED for assisting them and appeals to the department to assist other poor private schools too.
Honorable Premier, you stated very proudly of the increasing pass rates at schools in the Western Cape and we are indeed happy to hear that. But you have failed to mention the high number of schools where there had been no or little improvement on pass rates. At the beginning of your speech you said the people want government to give their basic rights and that the WC government has delivered. Where are the basic rights of our children on the Cape Flats and in the townships, who are exposed to gangsterism, drugs and other crimes. Where are their basic rights to be taught in a safe environment; where are the basic rights of teachers to be taught in a safe environment? We find shebeens operating near to places of learning and worship, contravening the Liquor Act not to operate within 500-metre radius from these institutions and they are also operating 24/7. Our residential areas are flooded with shebeens and still the WCED has passed a Bill giving schools permission to serve and sell liquor on school premises during a school function. Education is harmed by high education learner ratios and conditioning learners to find drinking alcohol and having early, but safe sex acceptable. We appeal to the WCED to provide text books to poor private primary schools especially Christian and Muslim private schools in poor areas.
SAFETY AND SECURITY:
In his SONA address, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke about a District Development Model whereby different spheres of government, state entities, business associations and community groups have come together for a new approach to local development. This is to give effect to a holistic service delivery model based on one plan supported by all spheres of government.
The Premier spoke about the business sectors concern about crime and its Biggest Safety Plan to reduce violence in our homes and schools and ready to deploy 500 of the new 3000 law enforcement officers. The question is, how were these new law enforcement officers recruited, who are they? The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele stated that the newly-introduced provincial law enforcement officers were carrying guns without competency certificates and described them as “a group of thugs that is unaccountable.”
Hon Premier, we cannot have thugs ruling our City with guns under the provincial law enforcement structure which was formed outside the legislative framework. How can your Safety Plan be successful?
MALAY CHOIR BOARD
We also appeal to Hon Premier to assist the Malay Choir Board to get back the use of the Good Hope Centre. This cultural tradition which offered much comfort to political prisoners brought in as slaves to the Cape is under attack. So too is Afrikaans choirs under attack and have declined from 75 to 16. This will cause the love for Afrikaans to decline.
DISTRICT SIX DEVELOPMENT
The District Six development plan is also an opportunity for the Province to lobby municipalities to rezone land to sell it at low cost. Even if it is just 100 square meters to people on housing waiting list. This should be on easy payment terms without interest.
TOURISM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
You are appealing to the private sector to help create jobs. It is a fact that some big corporates are reluctant to assist small businesses. Our small businesses also do not get enough exposure to tourism. What plans are there to promote international tourists to visit small businesses in the townships and Cape Flats?
THANK YOU
MR GALIL BRINKHUIS (AL JAMA-AH LEADER IN WCPP).