‘Rogue’ Joburg DA councillor says he’s a ‘Bushman’ and his party is ‘white’ and ‘racist’
According to Basil Douglas, black DA members defend 'their masters' and know 'the boss is in charge'.
Picture: African News Agency (ANA)
A Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg ward councillor lashed out at his party on Power FM on Thursday morning for alleged racism, after he defied the party’s decision not to attend what it considered an illegal council sitting.
Basil Douglas was one of two members of the DA to attend the council sitting on Wednesday that resulted in the ANC’s Nonceba Molwele becoming the new city speaker, at least according to the ANC.
Molwele’s disputed appointment could not have been achieved without the DA’s Douglas and Vinay Choonie refusing to toe the party line and attending the sitting, allowing it to achieve a quorum.
On Thursday, Douglas made it clear his lack of loyalty to his party did not end there.
“The DA is a white racist party and all those who are black people can go defend their masters,” he said.
“They know it’s a white party and the boss is in charge. Ek is a Boesman (I am a Bushman) and they can all go to hell.”
According to the DA, a new speaker should not have been elected as the position was not vacant, with Da Gama having just survived a vote of no confidence last week.
READ MORE: Nonceba Molwele appointed Joburg speaker but DA maintains it is illegal
The DA did not participate in Thursday’s council session, with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also not attending or voting.
DA Gauteng provincial chairperson Mike Moriarty said Douglas was “playing the race card”, as he hadn’t faced any racial subordination and was only expected to take the instructions of the caucus whip like all other DA councillors were expected to do.
He added that he believes Douglas was one of the DA councillors who voted with the ANC to elect Geoff Makhubo as Johannesburg’s new mayor, and suspects this was part of a coordinated DA takeover of the key metro.
Moriarty released a statement on Wednesday vowing to take action against the DA’s two rogue councillors in Joburg.
“The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the outcome of today’s meeting which we have never regarded as being legal. As such, we are considering our options and are obtaining advice. We want to make one thing clear, we have no difficulty in taking up seats in opposition benches,” he said.
“However, two DA councillors defied the caucus whip and will thus face consequences,” he added.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)
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