The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) extends its deepest condolences, solidarity and revolutionary support to all families, workers, and communities affected by the devastating storms, destructive winds, flooding and infrastructure failures that continue to cripple George and the broader Garden Route region.
The EFF notes with serious concern the widespread destruction caused over the past week across George, Pacaltsdorp, Thembalethu, Lawaaikamp, Blanco, Parkdene, Conville, Victoria Bay, Uniondale and surrounding areas. Communities have suffered extensive flooding, collapsing stormwater systems, uprooted trees, dangerous road conditions, power outages and severe property damage.
Yesterday’s destructive winds once again exposed the complete collapse of disaster preparedness and municipal planning under the DA-led coalition government involving the Democratic Alliance (DA), Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and Icosa. Informal settlements and historically neglected communities remain flooded, waterlogged and unsafe. Poor and working-class residents are once again left to suffer the consequences of a government that prioritises privileged suburbs, tourism marketing and political public relations over the dignity and safety of black communities.
Communities such as Thembalethu, Lawaaikamp, Parkdene and sections of Blanco are treated as afterthoughts by a municipality obsessed with protecting elite interests while abandoning the poor to flooding, collapsing infrastructure and dangerous living conditions. Residents in areas such as Uniondale, Haarlem and surrounding communities have endured prolonged power outages with little communication or urgency from authorities. Families have had to rely on community solidarity, neighbours and volunteers while government structures remain slow, defensive and incompetent.
The EFF condemns the arrogance and political dishonesty of the DA, FF+ and Icosa coalition, which continues to parade itself as competent while the reality on the ground tells a completely different story. Their governance has exposed deep inequality, racialised spatial planning, collapsing infrastructure maintenance and an utter disregard for poor communities.
This disaster is, therefore, the direct outcome of years of failed governance, weak infrastructure planning, blocked drainage systems, neglected maintenance programmes, reckless spatial inequality, and the systematic underinvestment in poor communities.
The EFF therefore calls for an immediate and transparent disaster damage assessment across George and surrounding areas; the urgent provision of emergency housing, blankets, food parcels and humanitarian assistance to displaced families; immediate restoration of electricity to all affected communities; and the prioritisation of Thembalethu, Lawaaikamp, Parkdene, Blanco and other vulnerable communities in all disaster interventions;
The EFF salutes community members, emergency workers, volunteers, churches, neighbourhood groups, and humanitarian organisations who have stepped in where the government failed. To all affected families: the EFF stands firmly with you.
The EFF has expressed solidarity with various social movements and labor unions.
Pixie
Fun South African Fact: There are more than 2000 shipwrecks off the South African coast, most dating back at least 500 years.
Berlin Kamikaze
Bunny Chow. This is a traditional South African Indian dish and usually consists of curry served in a hollowed-out half-loaf of unsliced white bread. It’s best when the bread is soft and fresh and the curry is extra spicy.