Steve Kotze, Democratic Alliance PR councillor in the City of Johannesburg writes:
The article ANC will approach the highest court that appeared in Northcliff Melville Times week ending 22 September refers.
The comment made by the African National Congress (ANC) about Democratic Alliance (DA) councillors going to the ANC expressing unhappiness, is false.
I have been a DA councillor in Joburg for 17 years and there was a spell years ago when DA councillors expressed unhappiness and ‘crossed the floor’. I recall these were councillors who either had disciplinary proceedings brought against them or were experiencing pressure from our leadership due to their continued poor performance.
The ANC has been known to try to persuade DA members to join the ANC by what has become known as ANC bribery tactics or ‘cheque-book’ politics.
The levels of corruption now being uncovered in Joburg emanating from the period of ‘governance,’ under the former ANC administration, clearly illustrate the culture of corruption and underhanded dealings the ANC has been, and continues to be, capable of pursuing. This culture, unfortunately, runs from the highest to the lowest levels of the ANC organisation.
Proverbial skeletons are being found in ANC closets in the City resulting from ANC abuse of public funds. And prosecution by the courts of politicians found to be complicit in such dealings is inevitable. The ANC wants to stop this process at all costs. Resistance to the Mayor’s campaign to rid the City of corruption is relentless and this disintegrating, dying party is resorting to desperate tactics in their unsuccessful attempts to collapse the coalition government in Joburg – a government making positive strides and showing great promise after only one year in office.
The current DA team under Mayor Herman Mashaba is united in respect of the Mayor’s leadership and firm resolve to rid the City of corruption and deliver services to all who reside in the city.
I can attest to the sense of solidarity seen and felt in our caucus. The current cohesion resembles the team spirit experienced when Mmusi Maimane was the leader of the DA caucus in Johannesburg.
