Qolani video ‘political theatre’ by local NGOS
IN LAST week’s editorial, an antiland invasion operation in the City of Cape Town was referred to as an illegal eviction.
This is not true and national government has made it clear that municipalities have a responsibility to prevent the illegal land invasion.
In addressing the incident involving Bulelani Qolani, there is no question that the selective video footage that was shared is indeed concerning.
As with many cases of outrage that dominate social media, it turned out that all was not as it seemed.
The video of Qolani turned out to be a masterful piece of political theatre staged by local NGOS hell-bent on painting a false narrative of the City of Cape Town as anti-poor.
Video footage not released by the NGOS filming the incident, but captured by law enforcement confirm what really happened.
By manipulating the media and the public like they have done, these NGOS are playing a dangerous and incendiary game that causes serious damage to our social fabric.
The City has lost 357 hectares of land to illegal land invasions over the past two years. Once settled on, the new residents start demanding services from the City of Cape Town and when we are unable to provide these services due to existing budget commitments and plans, you start to see protest action that results in the burning of other City infrastructure, further compounding our budgetary challenges.
The land invaded by Qolani, which was just cleared of a single shack the day before the orchestrated incident, is protected by a court order, and is the site of a R162million water infrastructure upgrade project that will not only connect thousands of Khayelitsha residents with high-pressure water access, but will lay the foundations for more housing projects. If we are unable to develop this land, these services will be placed on hold for the rest of Khayelitsha while we have to draw up new plans to try and carry on with the project.
The fact that the four law enforcement officers involved in the incident were suspended immediately pending the outcome of an investigation that I requested without delay should indicate the level of accountability we uphold.
It doesn’t matter that Qolani and his NGO colleagues orchestrated the whole affair and provoked the law enforcement into reaction, the officers are aware of these tactics and should have shown more restraint.
I will never tolerate any mistreatment of our residents, but neither will I tolerate the criminality that threatens our service delivery to the law-abiding residents and endangers law officers trying to carry out their duties. | DAN PLATO Executive mayor of Cape Town