WAARHEID! Official Newspaper of the Party Vol 13 June 2021 Free Copy The ANC is running Jozi into the ground

BY MATTHEW COOK

Freezing weather, power blackouts and water cut-offs – this month included Eldorado Park, Westbury, Westdene, just more hot air. needs a deliverable plan on top of a surging pandemic. , Fairland, , Hursthill, Crosby, to stabilise, upgrade and expand critical infrastructure Johannesburg residents can be forgiven for feeling the Coronationville, Montclare, Brixton, Lehae, and to support local communities and economies. Armageddon has come this winter. In truth, however, they . are feeling the effects of decades of poor leadership, What it needs it doesn’t get, however, from a dilly- dishonest funding allocations, skewed priorities, lack of Hospitals were stranded without water, and it was left dallying, corrupt and incompetent government, led by accountability and absence of vision. to private organisations like Gift of the Givers to step in a man clinging to power despite serious corruption to provide water to the most vulnerable residents.GOOD allegations against him. The ANC-led Johannesburg Municipality is running Jozi members gathered outside Johannesburg City Hall on into the ground, and its DA/EFF predecessors are equally 11 June carrying posters noting their disgust. In October, citizens have the opportunity to effect complicit. They blame each other, they blame Eskom sustainable change when they go to the polls in local and they blame City Power. But their blame games don’t The protest followed a fact-finding mission to Eldorado government elections. mask the fact that in their collective hands this African Park, where residents said they felt utterly neglected powerhouse city has been reduced to rubble. and marginalised. They rejected the stream of unfulfilled See pictures on page 2 of GOOD Member’s protesting Areas that bore the brunt of the serial mismanagement promises from Mayor Geoff Makhubo and his MMCs as outside Joburg City Hall Youth Day: The struggle continues

BY KEAGAN GERTSE

It is said that no true change is achievable if young people the majority of adults: They have yet to escape the socio- Perhaps now is the time for young people to absorb the spirit are not leading the charge, and this is borne out by our own economic burdens of the past. The unequal and unfair of the 1976 reformers, and begin changing the current socio- history. The 1976 youth uprising will forever form part of the structure of society limits possibilities for their growth and economic priorities in favour of the underprivileged majority. revolutionary architecture that delivered our freedom. development. The tools for this change are available: Participation in From then, and increasingly through the 1980s, young people These circumstances have marginalised young people developing policy and the law, implementing programs were pivotal in the disintegration of and, ultimately, from participating in our democracy, greatly impacted their developed and spearheaded by youth, taking advantage of ushering in our democracy. position in the Constitutional order. the rights to political association and to vote.

But the unsavoury truth is that there is little of substance They therefore feel under-represented and often challenged Our current leaders must do more than pay lip-service. that sets conditions the youth of today face apart from the by the decisions made on their behalf by those who they They must acknowledge the primacy of youth leadership for stalwarts of 1976. believe are out of touch with them. the sustainable development of the nation, and create and advance the channels for young people to participate. Sure, we have our democracy, and a constitution with an The enormous challenges presently faces, in the exemplary Bill of Rights which makes provision for equality midst of the double whammy of a pandemic and economic Those entrusted with our future would do well to remember the for all in South Africa. crisis, may be an opportune time for the youth to take greater Latin phrase: “Nihil de nobis, sine nobis”, meaning, “nothing ownership of their future. about us without us”. The majority of youth are, however, in the same boat as

Page 1 Commemorating the young lions of 1976 Hawks arrest Councillor Nora Grose

Veteran DA Cape Town councillor Nora Grose has been Plato’s decision to pay the legal costs is itself unlawful. The court found Zuma was not entitled to use state arrested by the Hawks in connection with fraud and resources in these circumstances, a ruling upheld on money-laundering involving a church in Table View. Section 109 A of the Municipal Systems Act provides appeal just three months ago. that a municipalities may provide councillors with legal Her arrest followed an investigation into the representation when the legal proceedings arise out “Allowing officials to resist being held accountable, misappropriation of Covid-19 Food of the exercise of their powers or performance of their by drawing on state resources to obstruct or delay a Relief funds unlawfully transferred to the church’s bank duties. prosecution, subverts both government and public account. interest,” GOOD Secretary-General Brett Herron said. The charges against Grose cannot be covered by this launched his campaign section, as the Mayor claims, since the conduct being “This Grose case is the latest example of the DA asking to return as the DA’s mayoral candidate for Cape Town investigated does not relate to her duties as a councillor. its supporters and voters to suspend their values and in local government elections in October at the same principles when they apply to one of their own. It’s both church last year. The DA knows this principle very well because it acted unlawful and the height of hypocrisy.” on the same basis to stop former President Zuma’s The ANC is running Jozi into the ground Soon after Grose’s arrest (she has been released on use of state resources to defend himself in criminal R10 000 bail) Plato announced that the City would cover proceedings. her legal costs. Hey, Dan Plato! Wat steek julle weg?

But where the DA leads, it refuses to be held accountable. Herron led a GOOD demonstration demanding answers outside the Cape Town Civic Centre in June.

Picketers, who included seven former Cape Town councillors, carried posters asking some of the questions the City has been refusing to answer.

On the same day, Herron addressed a letter to National Minister of Cooperative Government Dlamini-Zuma asking for input and intervention.

“This is a crude case of double-standards by the DA. I don’t believe it conforms with the intentions of the Constitution which is very clear on the principles of accountability and transparency,” Herron told WAARHEID!

“Most of my questions have been asked on behalf of community members who don’t feel they have been getting service- GOOD protests outside the Cape Town Civic Centre delivery related information to which they are entitled. Other questions have related to issues of governance, spending and the selection of service providers.”

“The DA seems to believe it is entitled to avoid scrutiny or accountability because it is not as publicly tainted by corruption as the ANC. The City of Cape Town has stopped answering questions the information Herron seeks is none of his business as the posed by GOOD in the Provincial Legislature. City is not accountable to other levels of government. “The recent arrest of Cape Town councillor Nora Grose for fraud and money-laundering clearly indicates that the two old Over the past six months, each time GOOD MPL Brett Herron DA members of parliament routinely receive answers to parties have more in common than either would like to think,” has asked Western Cape MEC questions about questions they ask about ANC-led municipalities across the Herron said. Cape Town, Bredell has responded on behalf of the City that country.

From page 1...GOOD stage silent protest at Joburg City Hall on top

Youth Day: The struggle continues

GOOD stages silent protest at Joburg City Hall

Page 2 Wishing our LGBTIQ Community a Happy Pride month. PRIDE: The counterpoint to persecution BY CAMERON ARENDSE GOOD PRIDE PROTEST support the principles of equal rights, equal The months leading up to Pride Month witnessed a series of dignity and equal respect for all. Why are pride gruesome attacks of LGBTIQ+ people, particularly in poorer flags most prominent in June? communities.

Because this is the month the world’s gay In April, 34-year-old Sphamandla Khoza, a gay man, was community remembers the Stonewall riots, in murdered in Durban. In the same month, Andile ‘Lulu’ New York in 1969, where gay men and trans Nthuthula (40) was found mutilated, burned and buried in a people were persecuted, attacked and arrested shallow grave in his alleged murderers backyard. by police high on discriminatory laws of the day against homosexuality. In the Western Cape, a few weeks later, Lonwabo Jack, 22, was killed in Nyanga East for allegedly being gay. Then, Phelokazi More than 50 years later, through the hard work Ndlwana, a 24-year-old lesbian women, was stabbed to and perseverance of many activists and martyrs, death in Khayelitsha. laws in many jurisdictions have changed. Hate crimes occur not only in South Africa, but in many oppressive countries, including modern democracies, around But, globally, the persecution of members of the the world. GOOD members stood in solidarity with students of the DF Malan School LGBTIQ+ community has barely been halted at all. It’s a universal issues, not only because it occurs around the in Bellville, Cape Town, who were denied permission to acknowledge South Africa provides a grim perspective on the world, but also because it affects every individual represented Gay Pride during June. Students and supporters of recognising Pride gaps that exist between laws and peoples’ lived by a colour in the rainbow flag. were reportedly placed on a “F*ck the F*ggots” WhatsApp group. This is experience on the ground. not where South Africa should be, in the midst of Pride week, in the month Oppression affects us disproportionately, but we need to where we pay tribute to the freedoms that young people fought and died We have an undoubtedly progressive Constitution recognise it in each other – that’s what creates our humanity. for. GOOD’s National Policy Officer, Mark Rountree, delivered an open that protects each and every South African letter to Sias Conradie, the Principal of DF Malan High School, and Andre regardless of consideration such as race, gender Roux, Chairperson of the School Governing Body, asking for the school or sexual orientation fix the intolerant attitudes of the few students not yet mature enough to But extreme violence, mutilations and sexual accept people different from themselves. assault are still commonly perpetrated in our Since the beginning of June – Pride Month – social media has country due to peoples’ prejudices. been flooded with imagery of the rainbow flag. It is draped across personal, organisational and corporate pages, across Each hate crime that is perpetrated is another unsavoury products and as packaging for a variety of gimmicks. report card on the slow pace of social progress.

These colours make up the LGBTIQ+ pride flag, designed in Until the country is able to face up to, and address, the 1978 in San Fransisco, which represents the gay community. reality of the stigmatisation of the LGBTIQ+ people in our GOOD supporting the 2019 pride campaign.Unfortunately, The flag is a symbol for equality; it is not just for gay people, communities, hatred and violence will continue and true due to Covid many of these events have been cancelled. but for all progressive individuals and organisations who justice for all South Africans will remain a pipe dream. We teach our children to bully

BY SHAUN AUGUST

Bullying is not a new occurrence, consequences as recently witnessed with the tragic death of family, fearful of sending a child to the shop lest she gets but new technology such as young Lufuno Mavhunga in Limpopo. attacked. We need to fix the social, economic, spatial and smartphones and Tik-Tok have environmental injustice that defines our nation. raised its profile. Too many of our parents contribute to the cycle of violence by sending children to school armed and dangerous with toxicity When we do, when all young South Africans have equal To our disgust, we see many of our and aggression that they learn in our neighbourhoods and opportunities to attain their dreams, when there is less hunger children behaving just as badly as homes. Teachers are not generally responsible for teaching our and there are more consequences for deviant behaviour, the many of us adults do. children verbal abuse, disrespect, aggression or violence. We levels of crime and violence in society will begin to decline. are! What makes it particularly painful In the meantime, we must find a way to get more social workers to observe is the level of violence – We will never be able to fix the violence in our society without and counsellors into our schools to support learners and their that mirrors the level of violence in fixing the society, itself. We cannot strive for justice forour families. And we must find innovative ways to help parents to our homes and communities, and children when our society is built on division, inequality and manage the emotional and mental well-being of their children across our society. injustice. at home.

Bullying often has long-term impacts on victims’ self-esteem When the daily lived experience for many is the violence of We cannot sit on our hands. If we do, we are all complicit. and confidence, but can also have immediate devastating poverty, scraping together enough food to barely feed your Aunty Pat sê: The GOOD approach to fixing municipalities BY

Wherever I go, They are on the lookout for something better, for signs of Justice that rights the social, spatial, economic and people ask me GOOD. environmental wrongs inherited from the past. about GOOD’s plans Among the most common things I’m asked is whether GOOD We reject the old party’s approach to using municipalities as to contest local has had enough time, given that it is still just two-years-old, to dumping grounds to deploy second and third-rate cadres not government elections be able to make a difference. When Noah began building his good enough to serve as MPs or MPLs. Instead of serving in October, and our ark, he would have faced similar questions the people and communities they’re meant to represent, approach to fixing We have certain advantages, chief among them the fact that they become voting cattle – puppets of their parties’ puppet municipalities. there are GOOD people in every community across the country. masters. Some are teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, farmworkers, and They are nauseated some are unemployed. They include an excellent sprinkling of The “million dollar question” is how many GOOD councillors by the ruling party’s progressive young minds. do we need in order to be able to make a difference. There are weaknesses and certain councils we believe we can win, and others where we corruption, but also These are the people we have been interviewing with a view to believe GOOD councillors will serve as opposition. sick and tired of the representing their communities. We want to change the model How many GOOD people does it take to change a lightbulb? official opposition’s of local government representativity by making our councillors Just one. In each council we have a seat that councillor will be dishonesty and directly accountable to their communities rather than to the charged with making a measurable local impact. baaskap. party. GOOD may be young, but it is not inexperienced in local We are saying to GOOD people they must lend us their votes Many see them both as sinking ships, relics of the past ill- government. We understand with great clarity that local for five years. If they fail to impress they must be voted out. equipped to contribute to the national task of building a better government is about local people and local neighbourhoods, That’s what I believe accountable public service is all about. and more inclusive future. and creating environments that contribute to justice.

Page 3 Covid: Stay Safe. Social Distance. Sanitise. Wear a mask PRIDE: The counterpoint to persecution R.I.P. Shaleen Surtie-Richards

Shaleen Surtie-Richards was more than an actress. She was an iconic South African to whom we all somehow felt related; an aunty who embodied our history and our soul.

Surtie-Richards, who passed away on the 7 June 2021 aged 66, was a trailblazer for actors of colour, who grew beyond colour to become a trailblazer for all actors.

Born in Upington, she shot to fame in the role of Fiela in the 1988 film, Fiela se Kind. Other major roles include Shirley Valentine and Hester in Hello and Koebaai, but her most memorable role was playing Nenna on one of South Africa’s most successful soapies, Egoli.

GOOD Leader and Surtie-Richards’ friend, Patricia De Lille, who has been isolating due to Covid, sent a message to be read at her funeral.

“For the industry, Shaleen’s death and struggles in recent years should be a wake-up call to stand up and protect the arts and our artists,” De Lille said.

Surtie-Richards garnered over 50 awards during her career.

GOOD sends its heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.

Naomi Osaka: Skill more important than TV

BY PETER DE VILLIERS, THE COACH

Naomi Osaka decision to withdraw from the French Open to avoid having to subject herself to cross-examination by the media after each match is much bigger than tennis.

Her confession that she finds interacting with journalists in these circumstances traumatic, and bad for her game, is a powerful reality check for those who see sports stars as supermen and women who are not subject to the same doubts and worries the rest of us feel.

Of course, the pressures on athletes playing individual sports like tennis are different to those on members of rugby or netball teams. Naomi Osaka, ascribing mental well being withdrew from the French For a start, most members of team sports, besides captains open after refusing to give media interviews after matches and players of the match, are not expected to front up to journalists. Aunty Pat sê: cameras we may love them more. But if they don’t, should This doesn’t mean that team sport players don’t feel acute they be excluded? psychological pressures, too. The GOOD approach to fixing municipalities To me, what Osaka has raised is the very complex 21st In my career as a rugby player and coach I have seen many century relationship between sport and media. In the absence WAARHEID! super-talented athletes wilt due to self-doubt. of media, professional sport would shrivel.

On the field they can look like they have ice in their veins and But without professional sport, media revenues would dwindle. •WAARHEID! is published by the walk on water, but the truth is they are human beings with their GOOD Party. own set of talents, vulnerabilities and dependencies – not that They need each other; it’s a relationship that generates different to anyone else. enormous wealth, but needs work.

Many have pointed out that Osaka was the highest-earning Sport shouldn’t have to sacrifice rare talents who feel that •To contact WAARHEID!, please female athlete in the world last year, with most of her earnings interacting with media, on the media’s terms, negatively call covered by commercial sponsors who see media engagements impacts their mental wellbeing and distracts them from their as getting bang for their bucks. game. (021) 518-0890 or email [email protected] They say media interviews are part of the game and, as a The show can’t be bigger than the game. Media ratings can’t professional athlete, if she doesn’t have the appetite to meet be more important than skill. her obligations at that level she should stop taking the money and play club tennis, instead. From a coach’s perspective, at the end of the day, our interest • Printed by Tandym Printers. is in nurturing players’ skills and sense of wellbeing to play the I say they are missing the point. Players’ on-court skills should highest quality game. be more important than whether or not they are willing and • WEBSITE: www.forgood.org.za confident interviewees. It would be tragedy to exclude someone, not on the basis of their skill, but on the basis of the media power game. FACEBOOK: @WAARHEIDnews Sure, if they have confidence and charisma in front of the

Page 4 Wishing our LGBTIQ Community a Happy Pride month.