Dear DA Members: Get Rid of Them!
Will DA members swim in the same, crowded bowl of inadequacy or will some leap into action and a cleaner future?
A subscriber who wishes to remain anonymous has sent me a humdinger of an open letter to the DA in Plettenberg Bay which i’ve shared with you below.
In response to the towns latest political crisis and the Garden Route Communications affair, he/she said that “The rot is in the DA and it is up to its members to deal with it,” something i agree with after my experiences with the DA in Knysna. It doesn’t have to be about switching political affiliation but rather about REAL DA members fixing their party from within.
Here’s that letter:
Seeing yet another lie emanating from Memory Booysen comes as no surprise. Since he assumed the position of Executive Mayor of Bitou Municipality, he has proved to be a compulsive liar and downright dishonest. A prime example being his SUV. It seems that on almost every occasion that arises, Booysen lies his way out of trouble.
From the outset, the DA and, in particular, Liz Mundell and Donald Grant, have done everything in their power to divert attention and to cover up the wrong doing and the lies. They actively support him instead of taking a principled stand and holding him to account. This after they and the DA promised that they will give us “accountability, responsiveness and openness in government.”
Their own party constitution requires that its councillors display the highest standard of ethics. That I assume would, at the very least, include not lying repeatedly. The DA luminaries, from his colleagues on council to Helen Zille, know exactly what is going on, but turn a blind eye.
At this point due to Booysen’s repeated and proven dishonesty, the credibility and integrity of the DA and its leadership, especially those closest involved, Liz Mundell, Donald Grant and his fellow DA councillors, must be in tatters for the normal thinking citizen.
Coming back to his fellow councillors…
They undoubtedly know what is going on. They know about all the irregularities. They know about the lies and the cover-ups. They are bound by their oath of office to uphold the law and to do their jobs as councillors to the best of their ability.
You would therefore reasonably expect that they would not put up with Booysen’s corrupt government.
Sadly, they have deliberately chosen not to do anything about it. Where does Mr Eybers’ ward councillor stand in all this? Why has he not taken the DRASTIC actions that are available to him as councillor and DA party member to resolve the issues and ensure that Booysen is held accountable? He draws the salary he is paid to do the job, but does not do it.
Not a single one of the governing councillors has a shred of credibility and integrity left.
EXCEPT Adam van Rhyner.
He clearly came to the conclusion that he can no longer turn a blind eye to Booysen and the DA’s shenanigans.
He had the integrity and guts to stand up to them and say, “Enough is enough. I go no further with this.”
He obviously came to the conclusion that he no longer had confidence in Booysen and the DA to govern the Bitou Municipality to the standards required by the Constitution or even their own undertakings.
What was he, or any rational thinking person to do under those circumstances?
Coalition agreement or no coalition agreement, there is only one rational and logical response. That is to do what he did. Come out with it and say loudly, clearly and effectively, “I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE MAYOR AND THE DA.”
I have little doubt that he will now be vilified and kicked out of COPE, on some pretext or another, and the Bitou council. They will slaughter the messenger.
He will be replaced by a hand-picked useful idiot who questions nothing, has no integrity and above all does not rock the Booysen/DA boat.
Life will return to normal and Booysen and the DA will continue in their corrupt government of Bitou.
BUT HANG ON JUST A MOMENT…
Who is in charge here?
The politicians?
NO. We, the people, are.
Why aren’t we doing anything but whingeing?
What are the voters who put Booysen and Donald Grant in power doing?
What are the paid up DA members who put Liz Mundell in power in Plett doing?
Why do none of the DA members insist that their party office bearers and public representatives are held to account to the very high standards they set for themselves in their constitution?
Dear DA members, the problem is easily solved. The solution is in your hands as DA party members. All you have to do is insist that those who you have put there through your party are held accountable. Get rid of them for everybody’s sake. PLEASE!!
NB: Please note that i, as Knysna Keep, don’t support or oppose Adam van Rhyner who is currently the Deputy Mayor of Bitou Municipality. I don’t know enough about the man except that he performed badly in the last elections and was awarded a Councillor’s seat on a technicality.
I think your anonymous writer should have the guts to ‘come out’ and take responsibility for his/her utterances. (Or are YOU the anonymous writer, Michael? – SOMEone is trying to stir discontent in order to get the ANC back in power, which would get ‘them’ … just where / what ??) I’d love to know, for sure, just what the writer’s real motivation is. I’m pretty sure it’s not genuinely the interests of the people of Bitou. I say “stop playing dangerous games and let the DA sort out the ‘nonsense’ that the ANC left them with and get on with the job that they are quite capable of doing”. If the ANC get back into power it will be a huge step backwards for Bitou. ANC is not ready for this task – maybe in years to come, when they have been shown how to do the job efficiently and honestly without filling their own back pockets. When that time comes, hey, I’ll even vote ANC. Carol Humphrey
It’s rare but if a person reveals them self to me and i believe that encourages public debate, i will respect anonymity. As to accusing me of being the anonymous writer is very silly. I’ve put over 400 000 words of greater intensity into this blog – i don’t hide. As for people having hidden intentions, that is often the case but shouldn’t be avoided if it can bring facts to light… in my experience, that is likely to happen. Comments without substantiation don’t carry much weight. I respect you for putting your name to your comment (!) but you must argue lest a comment is just seen as more ANC versus DA/DA versus ANC nonsense that South Africa is used to. I ask that you please make your argument with facts – that’s a much better way for the public to build their views and eventually their own opinion. My opinion has been clear in several blogs i.e. the ANC screwed up Plett. Then the DA screwed up Plett.
And i suggest you read my Dear Helen Zille letter, under Must Reads in the right-hand menu i.e. i don’t hide.
Firstly, Memory Booysen is just doing what he is told. Liz Mundel, Donald Grant etc. are in charge, not the mayor, and they take orders from Cape Town. Memory will land up taking the fall in the end, that comes with the territory, but without a ‘black’ mayor, the DA would have had a lot more trouble in the 5 out of 7 wards that they lost.
Adam van Rhyner was the Cope candidate with the most votes, Mike it is not a technicality, it is policy. Cope got enough votes for 1 proportional representation seat on council.
Imagine a system where there are no political parties in local municipalities, councillors voted in as individuals (all independant) to represent their wards, and where the is a close call, both candidates can represent the ward.
To whoever wrote this letter, – remember that most DA voters will not take a stand because they vote out of fear. Many of their votes are not for the DA, but against the ANC, and with Cope fading away and the Agang no-show, where will they go?
That is inherently the problem, the local politicians not doing their job for the locals because our towns are seen as pawns in a bigger game of strategy.
I’ve yet to confirm it (or hear otherwise) but Adam apparently only received 79 votes in the last municipal election. Of course i want smaller parties getting involved but if that’s true, it’s also absurd. By extrapolation, i’d love there to be no political parties but that is not the system that we have to deal with. It’s not our reality.
I agree with you big time in your last paragraph. I’ve repeated that so much on this blog.
I wonder whether the noble Mr. Van Rhyner would accept the position of Mayor if same is offered by DA or the ANC?
I have my reservations. However, there is undoubtedly more at play and Rhyner would have many obstacles to try overcome.