ANC in Cape Town fails to support R472m tax-break for City’s poor – Ivan Meyer -DA WCape leader says Marius Fransman should apologise for his party’s shameful politicking.

DA WCape leader says Marius Fransman should apologise for his party’s shameful politicking

 

Fransman must apologize for rejection of R472m tax-break for City’s poor

Marius Fransman, ANC Western Cape Chair, needs to explain to his supporters why the ANC abstained from voting in the City of Cape Town‘s council on a decision to give poor residents a R472 million tax break.

The DA-led council adopted a majority recommendation to write off the interest on the arrears for properties with a municipal valuation of R300 000 or less.

Despite the ANC’s unwillingness to vote on the recommendation, council adopted it and the total amount of charges to be written off for qualifying poor residents amounts to R472 million.

In her State of the Province Address last week, the Premier, Helen Zille, stated that 76% of the annual budget of the DA led Western Cape government is directed towards opening opportunities for people in poor communities.

Clearly the DA puts its money where its mouth is. Unlike the ANC in this province that constantly claims to have the best interest of the poor at heart but then refuses to support a recommendation that does just that!

Mr Fransman must publically apologize to poor residents of Cape Town for this shameful politicking by the ANC.

One of the greatest challenges in the Western Cape is the alleviation of poverty.

The DA believes that every citizen of the Western Cape should have the freedom to improve their lives and break the cycle of poverty.

This can only be achieved through real and tangible initiatives like the one before council yesterday and not through political grandstanding and empty promises.

Statement issued by Ivan Meyer, Leader of the DA in the Western Cape, February 28 2013