Open Letter to the ANC in Oudtshoorn

Reading the Sunday Times article on "Council's wings clipped in parties "flap for power"(Oudtshoorn)

I would like to share my view from the outside:

To all politicians and the like in my home town, Oudtshoorn.

I hope you all are aware of the repercussions of yours action in our town. I hope you realize the ANC and DA struggle for power; people cannot work due to your lack of accepting that the people have spoken. I hope you realize that when building plans are not approved, my people cannot work. I hope you understand that it is the black community as a whole who does the labour in our towns, and losing out on income.

I hope you realize that the longer you hold on to power which has been lost; our town is going back to the stone - age. While other towns are growing, our politicians are holding our people hostage of our choices. I would like see this post as an open letter to the Mayor of Oudtshoorn, Mr. Gordon April, and the ANC leadership in the Western Cape.

For many years we had a town, which pride itself as the biggest ostrich farming town in this country. We pride ourselves that we had one of the biggest shoe factories in the country. We pride ourselves therein that we can host big events. We pride ourselves that we had an airstrip.

We pride ourselves in the fact that many a big wigs in the country comes from our town. We pride ourselves therein that we have military academy. We pride ourselves that we have a golf course in the midst of one of South Africa's harshest and hottest regions.

I will leave with that, but need to add history to what I want to say.

During the late 90's and early 2000's we have as a town has lost lot of our strength due to sometimes political ramblings and sometimes economic woes. So we about lost our footwear industry. We lost our airstrip to George because the then Oudtshoorn municipality did not have the intellect to fight it with all they had. Oudtshoorn has been hit by one of the worst job -loss regions in the country. On this background, I would like to ask our politicians to be aware that power is not taken, it is given.

The situation in Oudtshoorn makes me realize that rape is also happening in politics. For people rape, for they feel they lost their power. But this leaves all our people with nothing but wonder. I have been following this issue for quite a while now and it makes me deeply concerned that politicians can feel they are "Entitled to" a certain position. Where does this come from?

Our people are being neglected by the majority party of this country as well as the opposition parties. All we are good for, is our vote and after that we are forgotten. So why is it that the ANC in Oudtshoorn thinks it is good politics to stay in office while the people of Oudtshoorn have voted you out?

I am amazed at your tenacity to even consider that we do not have a voice. I am even amazed that the people of Oudtshoorn are letting this go on and on, while they are the ones who are suffering.

I am calling on the ANC leader in the Western Cape, Mr. Marius Fransman to stand up and be a leader in this situation. I am amazed that you can say you are surprised at the ANC situation in Oudtshoorn, but does not go further and tell your people to vacate office. I am not a politician, but know this one thing. Whenever my employer asks me to leave its offices, I should leave because I am no longer wanted or needed.  I would like Mr. Fransman to take a stance, a firm stance on this and get our town moving forward.

The bible states it clear that division comes from lust. This lust is driven by the love of power and money. I am even more amazed that the church in my home town is silent on a matter that affects the community in such a negative way.

I ask again, for all those politicians who know they have lost an election to step down, for the "tribe has spoken". There is no one who is gaining over this situation. Actually everyone is losing.

So, I am asking the ANC to vacate your positions, which the people of Oudtshoorn asked for in the by - elections. It is as m simple as that.
Who give you the right to entitle yourself to a position while the people don't want you there. I actually do not care which party won or which lost. The fact remains that you have been ousted by the people.

Cmon ANC – Move Out, because the people have spoken !