Zille calls for upholding the ‘holy trinity’ of democracy

“Whenever I mention these ideas, someone is bound to ask what relevance they have for South Africa’s problems. After all, the poor can’t eat ‘the rule of law’ or live in ‘accountability’. First deal with unemployment and homelessness, the critics say, before you talk about the ‘rule of law’,” said Zille in a statement.

She added that the answer is simple: None of our other problems will be solved unless this ‘trinity’ becomes embedded in our culture.

“Without them, any ‘democratic’ system degenerates into chaos. And such circumstances cannot deliver any outcome that benefits people – such as a growing economy, a functional education system or a reliable electricity grid.

“The democratic ‘trinity’ – the rule of law, accountability and a capable State – is essential to progress, and what we call ‘delivery’.”

Zille insists that the DA is the only party in South Africa that can put a tick in the box next to all three attributes.

Speaking about the current problems in Parliament, which should be the point of convergence in any democracy between the ‘holy trinity’, she says the real issues have been overshadowed by the televised soap opera that has had people glued to their screens recently.

“Few analysts have understood that the core issue at stake here is adherence to ‘the rule of law’ and the accountability of the President.

“In terms of Parliament’s rules, the President must answer questions at least once a quarter. He does not have an option. This is a key component of ‘executive accountability’ in our Parliamentary system.

“The Speaker must chair Parliament in a fair manner, according to the rules. She has no option. She cannot follow instructions from Luthuli House and allow Parliament to be abused to protect the President.

“These are not academic democratic concepts. They have profound practical consequences for every South African. And events of the past week illustrated this more clearly than ever before.”

* In the meantime, John Moodey has been re-elected as the Provincial Leader of the DA.

This follows the DA’s Gauteng Provincial elective conference which was held at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference centre, in Boksburg, on November 22, during which he was contested for the position by Ekurhuleni ward councillor and current MPL, Refiloe Ntsekhe.

Speaking at the conference, Zille says she foresees divisions and the disintegration of the ANC in the run up to the 2016 local government elections.

She adds, however, the DA will not rely on the inevitable disintegration of the ANC to come to power.

Zille says the DA will win voters by governing well where it governs.

She mentioned that in Ekurhuleni, the DA grew from 227 000 votes in 2009 to 328 000 in 2014, which is increase of 44 per cent.

The Congress was attended by more thanta 1 000 delegates from 414 branches in Gauteng who participated in the elections for the Provincial Leadership and debated other key issues.

This was the DA’s second provincial congress, with the first one held in the Eastern Cape. Seven more will follow.