#Government
Target:
Department of Arts and Culture, Eastern Cape provincial government
Region:
South Africa

The Eastern Cape provincial government has decided to close down nine public libraries that fall within in the Beyers Naude Municipality, Graaf Reinet in the Eastern Cape province. This decision takes effect today, Monday, 04 February 2019.

The reasons which have been provided relate to administrative deficiencies over time by public servants, telting in the non-disbursement of funds to them, and now their actual closure. Our community members become the unfortunate victims of this inefficiency and incompetence of officals with their arbitrary decisions.

THESE PUBIC LIBRARIES ARE PUBLIC PROPERTY AND THEY MUST REMAIN OPEN.

We, the undersigned individuals, call on the Eastern Cape provincial government to abandon its plans to close nine (9) public libraries that fall within in the Beyers Naude Municipality, Graaf Reinet in the Eastern Cape province. These libraries are public assets, they serve some of the poorest communities in the province and country and must continue to serve our people.

Our communities cannot become victims of incompetence of government officals with their arbitrary decisions. These libraries perform a very critical function in these rural communities. They are central to education of learners, and the cultural development of communities in the affected towns and communities. They assist in educating our people and defeating ignorance, and as an educational tool is also an escape out of conditions of rural poverty.

THESE PUBIC LIBRARIES MUST BE OPENED TO THE COMMUNITIES IMMEDIATELY AND UNCONDITIONALLY. WE CALL ON THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT TO GUARANTEE THAT THE LIBRARIES WILL NOT BE CLOSED DOWN, WHICH WILL ENSURE CONTINUED ACCESS BY LEARNERS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

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The KEEP OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES OPEN!! petition to Department of Arts and Culture, Eastern Cape provincial government was written by Graham JOSEPH and is in the category Government at GoPetition.