DRAKENSTEIN COMMUNITY DEMANDS ACTION: ‘NO MORE JUST LISTENING!’

By Cuma Pantshwa

• Frustrated residents of Paarl in the Drakenstein Local Municipality have listed a number of issues they want addressed: the elderly need easier access to social services in Mbekweni, a non-profit organisation wants help from the municipality to deliver early childhood development services, the elderly and infirm require better treatment options in clinics and hospitals, and the homeless need housing, among other demands.
• The Human Rights Commission’s provincial manager, Zena Nair, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to protecting human rights and called for decisive leadership.
•  Lenishia Frank of Women on Farms stated that systemic failures were affecting women in rural areas, noting that police, health and judicial services were lacking. She called for “a systemic correction”.

Frustration boiled over during a community engagement session in Paarl, as residents of Drakenstein Local Municipality voiced their anger and demanded urgent action from government departments.

The morning session on 11 December 2024, held before the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, addressed the gathering, was marked by impassioned pleas for accountability and systemic reform.

“No more suffering in silence,” said Alvina Abrahams, who told the heated room she was a local activist and her purpose for the day was to voice the anger and despair felt by many in the community.

“They come here and they just listen to the issues,” she said. “What do they do for you? Nothing!” Her speech was a rallying cry, urging her neighbours to stop suffering in silence and demand tangible solutions from the government.

The Human Rights Commission’s provincial manager, Zena Nair, emphasised the organisation’s commitment to protecting human rights and called for decisive leadership.

“We need people who want to get things done! People who are laastig, (brave),” a participant noted, echoing the community’s demand for proactive action.

An elderly woman took to the floor and said the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) branch that closed in Mbekweni location was a huge issue. She urged the deputy minister to investigate the matter and highlighted the plight of elderly and bedridden individuals who now had to struggle to access vital services.

Most of the attendees at the meeting were farm workers from Paarl, a vital part of the Western Cape’s agricultural economy.

An owner of a non-profit organisation focused on early childhood development spoke about the farm workers’ indispensable contributions in the area, yet the community was often overlooked and neglected by the municipality. “I get no responses from the municipality,” she lamented. “I can’t operate and serve my community because people are not working or helping us.”

Another resident blamed government failures for the rise in homelessness. Sharing her personal story, she recounted losing her daughter and now being unable to secure the house her daughter left behind. “Why are there so many homeless people here in the Cape?” she demanded.

An elderly woman called for improved healthcare services, asking for better treatment options for the elderly in clinics and hospitals. Others urged the minister to address the poor state of ambulance services in the area, demanding to see the Department of Health in the engagement sessions.

A powerful presentation by Lenishia Frank of Women on Farms highlighted systemic failures affecting women in rural areas. “We don’t have the SAPS (South African Police Service), we don’t have health services, and where is DOJ (the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development)?” she asked. “The police are failing our women, and the system is failing us. We need a systemic correction. Enough is enough,” she said.

The morning session ended with a clear message: the community will no longer accept empty promises. “Let’s see what will be done after this,” said Frank. “We are calling on your administration DM to really get this house in order!”

As the Deputy Minister of Social Development prepares to respond, the people of Drakenstein have made it clear – they are done with just being heard. They demand action.