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Stuff from Johannesburg

Proposed Township Economy Bill seeks to drive foreign nationals out of townships

Dear Johannesburg

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is deeply concerned that the proposed Gauteng Township Economy Bill’s main aim is to drive foreign nationals out of townships. We should be looking at building inclusive communities where residents benefit from each other rather than segregating people on the basis of nationality.

The manner in which the Bill has being put forward is reminiscent of apartheid spatial planning, which seeks to have designated areas of trade and living for people based on nationality.

This is contrary to the principles of democracy, the Constitution as well as what is set out in the immigration act, which makes sure that foreign nationals living in the country are afforded rights in South Africa.

In its current form the Bill discriminates against foreign nationals and fuels xenophobia in our communities at a time when we need each other. The Bill has also not considered the changed nature of where South Africans live and work; it also has the potential to encourage fronting and drive township enterprises underground resulting in more informality in the economy.

Furthermore, current entities like the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) should be used to equip township businesses with the necessary skills needed to grow and run a successful business.

The DA believes that we should not see foreign nationals in South Africa as a threat but as partners in rebuilding our ailing economy. This is an opportunity for skills and knowledge transfer.

The DA will be making comprehensive input on the Bill and once the Bill has been tabled before the portfolio committee we will call on the public to comment on the Bill.

Regards

Makashule Gana MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Economic Development

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The Rand Club: Jameson Raid

The Rand Club’s history is as exclusionary as it is grand. For most of its existence, it was a bastion of white, male, British-aligned power. It was famously the “nerve center” for the Jameson Raid in 1895—a botched coup attempt against Paul Kruger’s South African Republic that served as a precursor to the devastating Second Boer War. For nearly 100 years, women were not allowed to be members, and black South Africans were permitted only as staff. The club’s refusal to modernize its membership policies led to a slow decline in the late 20th century as the “new” Johannesburg moved to Sandton. By the early 2010s, the club was facing bankruptcy, its grand halls gathering dust and its membership dwindling to a few hundred traditionalists.