ANCYL, DA differ on rental increase march
“The DA is disingenuous because they are being bodyguards of white monopoly capital, they want to protect their interests."
The DA and the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) have differed on the latter’s weekend march over rental increases.
On Saturday, the ANCYL marched to Huurkor, City Property and Premium Properties in protest against rental increases and the alleged ill-treatment of tenants.
ANCYL Tshwane innercity convener Lunathi Hontonti said people living in flats belonging to these property groups were complaining that rent and electricity increased every six months.
“People complained about uncleanliness, price increases and not receiving their deposits once they have moved out. Students are blacklisted by these companies for failure to pay rent,” Hontonti said.
Hontonti accused these property companies of arrogance, saying they promised to improve their service to tenants when the ANCYL marched to their headquarters in September last year.
Meanwhile, the DA’s Tshwane metro councillor Michael Shackleton, said in a statement that the ANCYL’s march was devoid of substance and a ploy to gain votes for the ANC.
“It is nothing more than empty rhetoric and a clear ploy to attempt to save whatever remaining votes the ANC has left before the local government election day arrives,” Shackleton said.
Shackleton said property groups did not set property tax prices or electricity tariffs.
These tariffs were increased by the Tshwane metro, which Shackleton stated had been by 8 to 15% annually.
“City Property, Trafalgar, Huurkor and others do not set property tax prices or the electricity tariffs, yet the ANCYL has preached against what it calls ‘white monopoly capital’ as is its standard line, while the municipality continues to keep exorbitant tariffs unchanged,” Shackleton said.
Hontonti dismissed Shackleton’s argument as disingenuous, accusing the DA of protecting the interests of white monopoly capital.
“The DA is disingenuous because it is the bodyguard of white monopoly capital, it wants to protect their [capital] interests,” Hontonti said.
He added that the league would meet the metro, the department of trade and industry, department of human settlements and other public service entities to solve the problem.
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