Hundreds of ”poor whites” from the Bethlehem informal settlement in Pretoria West will again meet African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma, this time on Thursday, trade union Solidarity said.
In a statement, the union said community leaders from at least 40 informal settlements in Pretoria will gather under the auspices of the Solidarity Helping Hand to discuss their problems with Zuma.
”Zuma returns to the white informal settlement, Bethlehem, tomorrow [Thursday] after promising earlier this year to tackle the community’s problems.”
The union will also present a report on the growing problem of white poverty in Pretoria to Zuma and the executive mayor of the Tshwane metro council, Gwen Ramokgopa.
Zuma is expected to be joined by other ministers, government officials and Ramokgopa.
The Department of Social Development will also provide a mobile unit where poor white people can register for social grants. It is expected that several officials from the department will provide the poor with advice regarding social services, said the union.
The residents will also exhibit products made by them in the informal settlements in an attempt to get support from the department for their community projects.
All the food for the day will be prepared by people living in the informal settlements.
”The myth that white poverty in South Africa doesn’t exist took root as a result of President Thabo Mbeki’s ‘Two Nations’ speech,” said Solidarity’s general secretary, Flip Buys.
He said according to Mbeki, South Africa consists of two nations — the one poor and black, the other white and rich.
”White poverty has been a silent poverty over the past decade. We believe that Mr Zuma will once and for all break the silence on white poverty by getting involved himself.
”We want Zuma to declare that poverty isn’t bound to colour,” he said.
According to the Helping Hand report to be released on Thursday, only 54% of all white people in South Africa can afford a house of more than R200 000.
The number of white people that do not have access to housing increased from 83 000 to 131 000, or by 58%, between 2002 and 2006. Structures in backyards increased from 36 000 to 54 000.
The union said it expects that this figure, despite the decrease in the population figure of white people, will increase by 7 500 units annually.
Solidarity said it will also discuss with the Zuma delegation the decision by the Gauteng department of social development in terms of which subsidies to organisations working among poor white people will be phased out.
Buys said it is ”totally unacceptable” that a decision can be taken that a person was denied social support on the basis of race.
”The decision is racist. We are convinced that this decision won’t hold its ground in any court or international forum,” he said.
In a statement, the ruling party confirmed that Zuma will return to the settlement opposite the Zandfontein cemetery at 11am to meet the residents.
”This follows a visit to the area earlier this year with the trade union Solidarity,” said the ANC. — Sapa