SACP blasts DA leadership over ‘racism’, school placings

THE SACP in the Western Cape has criticised the DA’s leadership and the placement of pupils, stating that the opposition party is facing “imminent implosion”.

The party convened a two-day augmented provincial executive committee (A-PEC) virtual meeting recently, which was attended by provincial executive committee (PEC) members, central committee deployees, district leaders, as well as the Young Communist League.

Provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu said the party cannot hide its “racist attitude” in handling internal contradictions. “The DA is facing imminent implosion and its retreat into white racist conservatism is being exposed daily. It cannot hide its racist attitude in handling internal contradictions,” said Ngqenstu.

“We have long observed that the DA is a party of white privilege that uses selected African opportunists as puppet leaders, who get dumped as soon as they want to contest space. History is littered with examples of such leaders, from Joe Seremane, Lindiwe Mazibuko, Patricia de Lille, Mmusi Maimane, and the latest victim is Bonginkosi Madikizela – the so-called Western Cape DA leader – now suspended leader.”

Ngqenstu maintained that it was an indictment on the opposition that hundreds of pupils remain unplaced. “The DA government maintains its posture of neglecting the educational needs of poor black pupils precisely because it has no interest in empowering working-class children.”

Education MEC Debbie Schäfer said while some schools already have extra classrooms available, others do require mobile classrooms. “Unfortunately, the mobile classrooms take time to construct and can’t be placed immediately. The important thing is that these pupils will be placed in schools – ready to begin the second term,” she said.