Media Release: Community Christmas Parties proves to be successful

The Democratic Alliance recently hosted Christmas parties for senior citizens of our community at Reuven Old Age Home and at Glenesk Old Age Homes. Although the parties were organized by the DA, it was made clear that they were not political events.

Cllr Tyrell Meyers said in his address at the party that as the festive season is a time for giving where nothing is expected in return this it was appropriate to host such a function for those who deserve it most.

Shadow Deputy Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Johannesburg South, Manny de Freitas in his address explained that this is why he is in public life; for the privilege of serving the community at occasions such as these.

Both MP de Freitas and Cllr Meyers agreed that these were opportunities to thank our senior citizens in the role they played in the past in shaping our wonderful country. “Many of you have helped build this country into something so great and we proved all our pundits wrong in last year’s FIFA World Cup,” said Meyers. Meyers also said that some of our older members of society played a part in the struggle to bring the democracy that young people like himself can enjoy. “So I say thank you for that, and may you all be blessed,” said Meyers.

“My team, be they our hard-working councillors or our activists and members, will continue to serve our community ensuring that we receive the best care and service that each and every one of us deserve,” de Freitas said.

Everyone enjoyed the parties with eats and drinks as well as the entertainment that was provided.

The Simelane ruling highlights the Zumafication of government

Earlier this month the Democratic Alliance was victorious in defending our Constitution. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) found in the DA’s favour that the appointment of Menzi Simelane as National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) in November 2009 was unconstitutional and as a result invalid. Judge Mohamed Navsa in the delivery of a unanimous decision emphasised the fact that the legislative and executive arms of government are not above the law. Judge Navsa reminded the government that it cannot ignore, defy or subvert the Concourt. 

However Zuma and his government simply do not understand this. They also do not understand our Constitution. This is evident when Zuma was being questioned during a Parliamentary session recently, he said the following; “The powers conferred on the courts cannot be superior to the powers resulting from the political and consequently administrative mandate resulting from popular democratic elections.”  In other words Zuma’s understanding is that once a party is elected it can govern like a dictatorship presumably until the next elections when it should be able to do so until the following elections.

This scary scenario is further reinforced as more of the ANC leadership demonstrate their ignorance of how our democracy was carved out and how it should work. ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe is quoted in the media as saying, “you can’t have a judiciary that seeks to arrest the functioning of government” describing the Constitutional Court as a consolidation of opposition to government.

The ANC is simply ignoring the principles of separation of the powers and arms of government, especially the assurance that no government could impose their will unchecked. Again, this statement is supported by the fact that the cabinet will be appointing a research institute to review the Constitutional Court’s decisions.  

Almost weekly we see how President Zuma is running the country- by constructing the “Zumafication” of South Africa. An example of this is the fact that Zuma ignored concerns raised about Simelane’s character during the Ginwala Commission of Inquiry into whether the then NDPP Vusi Pikoli was fit to hold office. In truth Simelane gave misleading evidence to the Ginwale Inquiry into the fitness for office of his predecessor, Vusi Pikoli.

This ruling has opened an even bigger can of worms; it is clear that the Minister of Justice, Jeff Radebe, who was supposed to have advised Zuma on Simelane’s fitness for office, is loyal to President Zuma and not the Constitution. We can be sure that Radebe will continue to serve on Zuma’s cabinet as it suits his plan perfectly.      

Zuma’s mission is simple: to “Zumafy” state institutions so that they shield and protect the President and his network from being accountable to the law for any illegal actions he may have committed.

The President is however left with a dilemma; who must he appoint as the National Director of Public Prosecutions. He needs to apply his mind this time round. If he doesn’t then the potential is there that this could escalate into a constitutional crisis. For once, Zuma needs to follow the interests of the country and not himself. I somehow doubt it though.   

The Secrecy Bill: The next rounds are about to start

The Secrecy Bill climaxed with what has come to be known as Black Tuesday, 22 November 2011. That day was indeed a dark day for South Africa, its democracy and our constitution. All opposition parties, without exception, fought tooth and nail in convincing the majority Party to present the passing of this draconian Bill. Not since the dark days of Apartheid has such a shocking Bill been passed. Now more than ever before, will people be silenced.  Additionally, it is easier than ever before to hide corruption.

Sadly, the attempts at silencing people is not restricted to this Bill. For some time now members of the Portfolio Committee of Transport, of which I am a member, have been silenced and censored. It is slowly becoming common cause for the chairperson of the Committee, Ruth Bengu, to advise respondents to our questions which questions are to be applied to, effectively cutting off information and debate which is the backbone of the work we do in Committees. Increasingly, the ANC is becoming more and more paranoid as the divisions within other ANC widen.

The effectiveness of the DA within all tiers of government is becoming a bigger and deeper thorn in the side of the ANC. Something it doesn’t need considering the deepening factions, infighting and problems the ANC keeps confronting.

Out of desperation and in an attempt to “neutralize” the DA, the ANC has for sometime now been looking at ways to show that effectively the DA is even more corrupt than they are. The Public Protector launched an investigation into allegations of corruption in Midvaal, the most successful and well run local authority in Gauteng. Midvaal also happens to be governed by the DA.

The Public Protector found no evidence of corruption. Many of the allegations were discovered before the Public Protector initiated its investigations, as a result of DA-run Council launching investigations of its own. The Public Protector’s findings were nothing new – all that was confirmed was that indeed that the DA runs clean governments.

However, the Public Protector’s Report was conveniently ignored by the ANC.  The ANC’s press statement in response to the report referred to the “blatant corruption” of the municipality. Talk about calling the kettle black – most of ANC governed local municipalities are riddled with cronyism, maladministration and corruption. Even the Secretary General of the ANC, Gwede Mantashe admits that corruption is rife within the ANC – to be exact Mantashe said the following: “Corruption starts at the point where, because you are elected to an influential position in the ANC, you influence decisions for the benefit of individuals instead of society”.

The fight against the Secrecy Bill and the ANC antics is not over. Excepting for the ANC, everyone is against this Bill.  The next round of fights against it is about to start. Watch this space.

      

Lindiwe: An example of the rainbow nation

For the last few weeks I’ve been following the media coverage about my newly-elected Caucus Leader, Lindiwe Mazibuko.  I consider Lindiwe as not only a brilliant colleague but as a personal friend as well. Much of what’s been written about her ranges from complimentary and supportive to down-right misleading, incorrect and racist.

The reality is that Lindiwe is a young South African who is passionate about this country and its future. Despite what’s been written and a false perception that is created, Lindiwe speaks fluently the language of her ancestors, Zulu. Her speech delivered to the Caucus before the Caucus Leadership election was partly delivered in Zulu (as well as in English and in Afrikaans) and left many of my colleagues with a lump in their throats as we all saw her passion magnifying in front of our eyes.

The truth is that Lindiwe was elected because most members of the Caucus felt she was the right person for the job at the right time. Not because she speaks, looks or acts in a certain manner, or fits into any stereotype. Lindiwe is truly and proudly South African and one of the nation’s brilliant minds – this is a fact no matter how much the ANC may hate it!

The fact that, for example, I do not have a Portuguese accent as a Luso-descendent doesn’t make me any less a South African than my friends who happen to have a Portuguese accent. This is the wonder and beauty about South Africa and the rainbow nation that we’re building – that Lindiwe and I can, as different South Africans, together hand-in-hand look towards and build Mandela’s vision for South Africa using our diversity as our strength.