President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday visited an impoverished white Afrikaans-speaking community, promising that government services for the poor will not be limited by race.
Zuma visited the informal settlement known as Bethlehem, outside Pretoria, in July 2008, before becoming president. At the time he described the conditions as “shocking” in the area.
“Today I came to you as the president of the republic, and I come with the government machinery to ensure that your needs are taken care of,” Zuma said.
Among the grievances brought by the community was lack of access to social welfare grants, housing and health care.
“Poverty knows no colour, so as our services as government,” Zuma said.
Predominantly white labour union Solidarity said the community felt sidelined by government’s economic policies, which they feel favour blacks.
“White communities are not prioritised when it comes to government social services. It is regarded as politically incorrect to speak of white poverty,” said Dirk Hermann, chairman of the union’s social programme.
Although the level of unemployment among the country’s more than four million whites is only around a fifth of the overall jobless rate, Solidarity says the numbers of them living in poverty are growing.
Hundreds of the mainly unemployed residents came out to listen to Zuma, applauding loudly as he walked in.
Since becoming president, Zuma has visited a number of poor communities, hoping to defuse anger over shoddy government services that has sparked violent protests in several neighbourhoods over the last year.
“Our presence today is a confirmation that we are a government that is committed to all South African, regardless of colour, race or creed,” he said. –AFP