DA welcomes SAHRC’s pronouncement to compel ANC-led Council to withdraw decision to terminate long-term lease of old age home

by Cllr Khetha Shandu — DA Chief Whip in Ekurhuleni

Date: 21 September 2021

Release: Immediate

Type: Media Statement

In November last year, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni, promised communities that we would continue to challenge the ANC-led City of Ekurhuleni’s decision to terminate certain long-term lease agreements.

This followed the council decision by the ANC and its coalition partners’ majority to terminate long-term leases for certain old age homes and fragile care facilities. As the DA, we fought vehemently against this resolution, highlighting the important social responsibility these homes and facilities have in our society, and cancelling their long-term leases would be short-sighted and irresponsible.

While the arrogant ANC and its coalition partners used their overwhelming majority to pass this ill-conceived item in council, we believe the socio-economic importance of this item could not be left unchallenged.

True to our word, we reported this matter to the Public Protector and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), requesting a full investigation into the ANC and its coalition partners’ resolution to terminate long-term leases.

In our request for an investigation, we detailed that the DA believes that the Municipality has a social responsibility to ensure that properties that provide social refuge are protected and not merely leased out to the highest bidder. Some of these properties are sanctuaries of safety with medical facilities, frail care, hospitalisation, while others offer recreational and cultural havens for communities to express themselves. One such of these facilities is the Methodist Homes for the Aged.

On 20 September 2021, the SAHRC echoed our belief regarding the misguided decision to terminate the lease agreement between the Methodist Homes for the Aged (“the home”) and the City.

Through engagements by the SAHRC and the City, the consultations culminated in a resolution that the ANC and coalition-led City would immediately withdraw its decision to terminate the lease agreement of the Methodist Homes for the Aged.

As the DA, we welcome this decision by the SAHRC compelling the ANC-led council to withdraw the decision. We cannot allow the uncaring ANC coalition to trample on peoples’ rights enshrined in the Constitution. Our communities need a caring government, which looks after their needs, rather than their own hidden political agenda.

We believe every lease needs to be carefully interrogated independently. The short-sighted blanket approach by the ANC to cancel long-term leases is about maximising income at the expense of vulnerable people. We will continue to pursue this matter to ensure that communities are treated fairly and with dignity.

#Time4Change

*ANC Coalition Partners: African Independent Congress (AIC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA)

Cllr Khetha Shandu

DA Chief Whip in Ekurhuleni