Coloured people are the stepchildren of South Africa, only remembered by political parties during elections, Westbury residents near Johannesburg told New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Friday.
Van Schalkwyk was on a door-to-door election campaign in the area.
Julie Damans (46) told him it was difficult for coloured people to secure employment and housing while they had to deal with high electricity arrears, poverty and drug problems in the area.
She complained that political parties only thought about them during elections.
Another resident, Winnie Africa, a community leader, echoed Damans’s sentiments and said Van Schalkwyk was only talking about the African National Congress and not what the NNP had done for them.
“Our children are hungry now, can you, Mr van Schalkwyk, give them some bread to eat?” Africa asked.
She said it was only Patricia de Lille’s party, the Independent Democrats, who would genuinely address the problems of Westbury.
NNP workers later said Africa was, in fact, an ID candidate. NNP spokesperson Juli Kilian said Africa had attempted to hijack what essentially an NNP election roadshow.
Van Schalkwyk said ANC supporters were a priority when the government was giving food parcels and called on the people to vote for the NNP for a greater voice in government.
“This country does not only belong to the ANC and the NNP strongly believes that political parties should work together to better the lives of the poor.
“Former presidents Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk advised us not to fight yesterday’s battles, but concentrate our energies on new battles such as poverty, crime and unemployment.”
Residents in the area complained about a lack of discipline in schools, which had become a haven for gangsters where pupils freely carried guns.
Said another resident, Florence Smith: “Our schools have become breeding grounds for gangsterism and drug dealers. There is no discipline.
“We ask political leaders like Van Schalkwyk to intervene to address this distressing state of affairs.”
Van Schalkwyk appealed to his supporters to work hard to replace Democratic Alliance councillors in the area.
He said it was scandalous that electricity arrears in traditionally black areas were written off but the coloured community still had to battle with those arrears.
“The time has come to say the issue of colour in this country is irrelevant. Coloured people also suffered under apartheid and they should be treated fairly.” — Sapa
Special Report: Elections 2004