DA Exposes ANC Hypocrisy @KASIBC_NEWS

DA Exposes ANC Hypocrisy @KASIBC_NEWS 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape rejects the ANC's latest attempt to politicise elderly care. This latest debate is nothing more than a desperate bid to score cheap political points and distract from the ANC’s appalling track record in provinces under their governance - including their disastrous legacy in the Western Cape prior to 2009.

It is astonishing that the ANC would presume to lecture on elderly care, given that during their tenure in the Western Cape, Social Development services collapsed under their watch.

Key failures during the ANC's administration include:

•Inconsistent and politically manipulated NGO funding, which forced many vital organisations to shut down or cut services to the most vulnerable, including older persons.
•A complete breakdown in oversight, with old age homes left without adequate regulation or compliance monitoring, leading to unchecked neglect and abuse.
•Rampant corruption and cadre deployment, where loyalty was rewarded over competence, undermining service delivery.

Since taking office in 2009, the DA-led provincial government has worked diligently to restore integrity and efficiency to the Western Cape’s social development systems. This includes rebuilding fair and transparent funding processes, stabilising partnerships with civil society, and ensuring that older persons receive the dignity and care they deserve.

The DA's Record Speaks for Itself:

•Regular and rigorous compliance monitoring of care facilities to ensure adherence to quality standards.

•A dedicated Elder Abuse Helpline and Rapid Response Teams to act swiftly on complaints and protect vulnerable residents.

•Sustained support for NGO-run facilities, even as national government budget cuts threaten services across the country.

Despite severe reductions in national funding - including the cancellation of the Golden Games Active Aging initiative - the DA has remained steadfast. We have prioritised protecting lives, preventing abuse, and preserving dignity in elderly care.

In stark contrast, the ANC continues to fail the elderly in provinces like:

• Gauteng, where the Life Esidimeni tragedy resulted in the deaths of over 140 vulnerable patients.

• The case of Lavela Old Age Centre, Ntselamanzi in the Eastern Cape Province, where frail care facilities are sink in neglect, starvation, and infrastructural collapse.

• In the ANC-led Limpopo, we again witness the same negligence. The Vuthlari Old Age and Disability Centre shut down for shocking human rights violations - residents sleeping on concrete, some elders dying due to malnutrition and others bathed with pine gel and chemicals.

These incidents are the natural outcome of a failed governance philosophy rooted in philanthropy, mismanagement, and disregard for the vulnerable.

The people of the Western Cape remember what life was like under ANC rule - the dysfunction, the decay, and the human cost. That is why they voted for change in 2009, and why they continue to reject ANC leadership to this day.

Wendy Kaizer-Philander said:” While the ANC manufactures outrage and headlines, the DA delivers measurable results. Where they exploit, we protect. Where they grandstand, we govern. Where they forget the elderly, we prioritise them.

This is the difference - and the people of the Western Cape, and South Africa at large, know it.”