Must keep ATTP as it is

THE implications of amending the Assistance to the Poor (ATTP) programme initiated by the ANC-led municipal council will have far-reaching consequences. It will leave many destitute. A glance at the municipal demographic statistics indicates that the increase in the number of poor people needing assistance from the municipality is not an oddity, as city manager Johann Mettler and councillor Retief Odendaal would like to suggest.

The 2011 census shows 42% of the municipality’s households are poor.

This means that a household with 3.4 persons on average has to cope with just R480 per month per person.

To further show the extent of poverty in the metro, 47% of young people are unable to find employment and more than 36% of the general Nelson Mandela Bay citizenry who are willing and able to work, can’t find a job.

With the South African economy growing at a meagre 1% between 2008 and last year, year on year, it will probably be growing around 0.1% this year.

There is no reason to assume that the plight of the poor and unemployed has become any better.

At best, the poor’s plight would have stayed the same.

The DA-led council needs to realise that it’s governing a metro full of poor people expectant of it to be “pro-poor”.

But then again it maybe a bit too much to expect the DA to understand its need to be “pro-poor”.

It never was and it will never be, at least judging from the makeup of the overwhelming majority of its constituents and public leaders.

Without having to look very far on who mandates the DA to do what it does, just take a closer look at the ward-based outcome of last year’s local government elections and the current mayoral committee.

It is thus paramount that the DA stops in its tracks to amend the indigent policy.

If not, it will have to prepare for a march on City Hall by at least 42% of its residents who are loaded with indignation.

Ryan Johnson, Holland Park, Port Elizabeth