ANC to protest in Worcester against the ‘dompas’ system

THE PROVINCIAL ANC is preparing to take to the streets of Worcester tomorrow before Human Rights Day celebrations to protest against the green card “dompas” system.

The party claimed other areas had adopted the system, including an old-age home in Stellenbosch and the Genadendal/Greyton areas.

ANC Secretary Songezo Mjongile said: “It is unacceptable that our people are subjected to restrictive measures, especially in rural towns.”

Recently it emerged that workers in an upmarket area of Worcester have had to carry a green laminated card, issued by the police, bearing their photograph and workplace.

With Human Rights Day being marked on Saturday, the ANC said the “dompas” system was a disgrace to the people of Sharpeville and Langa, who had marched against the pass laws in the 1960s.

The ANC said it was shocked and ashamed by recent incidents in the province, including the Worcester dompas system; Premier Helen Zille’s decision not to renew the provincial government’s subscription to the Cape Times; and the protests at UCT over the removal of the Cecil John Rhodes statue.

Mjongile said Zille had dealt a blow to press freedom by cancelling the subscriptions.

“Almost daily, media houses and journalists write and tweet about intimidation by the premier and how they are ‘Zille-ed’…”

Asked to comment, Zille said: “We did not cancel any subscriptions. We decided not renew. We did not make it public, nor did we try to influence anyone else. It is bizarre that the ANC is hypocritical enough to make any statement about this given that the national Treasury sent a circular to all provincial governments urging us not to renew any newspaper subscriptions.“– Warda Meyer