This speech was delivered by GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament Brett Herron during today’s Statement to the House:
Amid a well-documented budget crisis, the Western Cape Government, City of Cape Town, and the Border Management Authority have unveiled a new plan for tourists arrivals. Premier Alan Winde assures us that “these young women and men will not only give operations a boost, they will also serve as ambassadors for our province.”
Tourism is important, visitors bring in revenue and support local businesses, but what is not explained is how government suddenly finds money to make the tourist immigration experience smoother, while ordinary South Africans’ pleas for basic services are ignored.
Cape Town and the Western Cape are beautiful, but they remain deeply unequal.
Tourists whisked from the airport to hotels in Ubers may never experience the informal settlements they will see as they pass. But the people who live there, the same workers who get up at 4am to clean hotels, cook meals, and serve tourists, don’t have that luxury. They navigate sewage-filled streets, broken streetlights, and dangerous commutes where they must clutch their belongings to avoid being mugged. That is their daily reality.
The Immigration Act and policing laws make no mention of “law enforcement officers” of this kind. So what exactly are these so-called “ambassadors”?
Based on what little we know, their role seems limited to speeding up immigration queues. Is that really the best use of public money?
The Western Cape’s “safety plan” has already had a statistically irrelevant impact on the murder rate, yet millions are continually poured into it.
Meanwhile, there is never “enough” money for teachers, nurses, or properly funded social services. But suddenly, when it comes to making life easier for wealthy tourists, money appears. That is not governance in the public interest. That is a province that cares, but only if you are a rich tourist.
Good Formation: GOOD was formed in December 2018.
Vagabond Warrior
Voetsek! – Go away! [foot-sak] Usually said with an angry tone when telling someone to go away or get lost. You don’t want to be saying this to a local or worse, if a local says this to you – you’ve really angered them!
Snapple Whistler
Thanks for this post – I have had a great time visiting your site and find myself now wanting to physically visit South Africa. Well Done!