ANC: We understand your plight

2009-07-23 18:04

Johannesburg - The ruling party has a "deep understanding" of the impact poor service delivery has on South Africans, spokesperson Jessie Duarte said on Thursday.

"The African National Congress has a deep understanding of the seriousness and impact that lack of service delivery has on the lives of the people.

"The ANC, however, strongly condemns all criminal acts in the form of violence against foreign nationals, destruction of state and private property, and looting of shops in some parts of the country under the guise of 'service delivery protests'," Duarte said in a statement, adding that government at all levels had put plans in place to address the issues raised.

Finding solutions

The party was commenting after a wave of service delivery protests hit the country - some turning violent and seeing communities once again turn against foreigners.

Duarte said the party was "not impervious to genuine community concerns" and called on its branches to work with civil society to ensure party policies were "well articulated" to the people.

"We have engaged to find solutions to all problems and concerns raised with us by communities during door-to-door campaigns and public gatherings in the run-up to the 2009 elections."

- SAPA