GETTING RID OF PROVINCES WILL BE ADMISSION OF ANC FAILURE

Some positive news recently emerged after DA Leader and Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, met with President Jacob Zuma. This was that provinces are not in the immediate firing line of the ANC Government. However, Zuma’s assurances did not close the door on either the debate or the possibility of provinces disappearing in the future. He just indicated that provinces were here to stay for the time being and that he will inform other parties when this changes. Thus it can be argued that the door is still wide open on the issue.
A further sign that the door is still wide open on the future of provinces is the fact that Constitutional Amendment 17 is still on the table. This amendment will give central government the power to intervene in the executive decision making of municipal councils should it experience resistance to the execution of its centrally formulated schemes. Power, I would suggest, paving the way for the abolition of provinces and regulating a centralised relationship between national and local government.
Should provinces be abolished in the future it will lead to an over centralisation of power and it will effectively erode South Africa’s Constitution to such an extent that it will impede the freedom its citizens are enjoying currently. There will be less accountability by Government as central government will become extremely big and inaccessible. Local government, even though it might enjoy more powers, will just become even more derelict in service delivery as it will not be able to deal with the added responsibilities. It already struggles with its current mandate how will it deal with current provincial powers being devolved to it in future?
It seems as if, technically, Jacob Zuma was honest with HelenZille when he said that provinces will remain for the time being. However, I do not believe he was totally honest about the ANC’s plans for provinces once “for the time being” has expired. I still firmly believe that provinces are still very much in the firing line of the ANC government. The main argument will be that provinces are a “stone in the river” slowing down the flow of resources necessary for proper service delivery.
This argument does not hold water as the flow of resources can be accelerated through proper and capable management and management systems and procedures. The argument does inherently come down to an admission by the ANC that it is unable to govern provinces. An inherent admission that the ANC failed despite hailing their successes during every election campaign. The ANC does not seem able to manage within any type of system that is not centrally controlled (i.e. control freaking).
So, beware the debate about provinces are still a very hot issue and we should not become complacent based on “technically honest” assurances. We cannot go forward on assurances, what we need is a commitment from President Zuma that provinces should stay, we need a totally honest stance before we can become assured.

Campaigning for the DA - 22 Days to Go!!

Can you believe it that there are only 22 Days to go to Election Day!!?? It felt like only yesterday when the election was announced and now we are nearing the end of the campaign at a rapid speed.

It has really been a different but also fun camapign at the same time thus far. Also a very positive campaign. Being out there doing foot canvassing, handing out pamphlets, being visible at sport events, visiting retirement homes and other special homes and holding tables at shopping centres I have never felt such a positive vibe towards the DA in an election as this time around.

People are interested in politics again and they just want to chat to you about Helen Zille and the DA and ghow important it is to drive the ANC below a two thirds majority. Even though many of us, especially the candidates, are feeling tired, we are pumped because of the positive response we have received thus far.

This makes me very optimistic about the DA's chances in the coming election. Our campaign is running smooth and I don't think we have ever before been so visisble as we are this time around. Apart form the ANC I have not seen other parties campaigning on the ground outside the eyes of the media as much as we have. It just goes to show that size matters and the importance of having many activists, members and public representatives who can help campaigning.

I believe that this election will see a number of smaller parties being obliterated as South African politics experiences a realignment. Voters are more informed that before and understand what is at stake. So allow me, at thsi stage while I am still very positive to predict the winners and losers as I see it will emerge after 22 April.

Winners:

Democratic Alliance with a growth of between 4% and 6% in growth; with a win in the Western Cape and possibly part of a coalition government in the Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

ANC - although with less votes than before will still win the national election.

COPE - although they will fare worse than expectation may come in between 5% and 8% of the vote which is good for a first time party.

Losers:

ID - will loose votes to the DA and COPE.

UDM - will loose votes to COPE.

FF+ - will retain their core fundamentalist voters but will return with less votes (international votes are going to the DA and not the FF+ as they expect).

PAC, AZAPO, APC, PAM - these are all splinter parties - old and new - who fish in the same pond but can't get along which will see the pan-African Azanian movement without representation in parliament due to their fractious support and internal vote splitting

New parties - with the exception of COPE none of the new parties will amass to anything as history has learnt - let's just hope that their collective votes do not cost other opposition parties seats in Parliament.

Retain their support:

IFP - has a core support but may be the surprise package in this election if they succeed to increase their votes in KZN. However, I expect them to retain their current support level.

ACDP - their voter base is a fundamentalist base and usually remains the same.

Well, roll on 22 April so that we can see whether my predictions are a hit or a miss!!!

Keep coming back I will blog at least once a week from now on to share experiences on the campaign trail with you.

Photos: DA manifesto launch in Johannesburg, DA election launch in Kliptown Soweto.

Zuma Presidency No Different to Mbeki?

Zuma - The Winners

There were only two winners declared out of the Zuma judgment on Friday in in the Durban High Court. Jacob Zuma, for obvious reasons, and the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The Democratic Alliance?!

Yes, the DA. The DA's warnings over the past ten years that South Africa's young democracy is facing a crisis, and recently that it is in crisis, was vindicated. The DA has warned for a number of years now that the ANC and its extension the Executive of South Africa, has been meddling in democratic institutions while it should have respected its independence.

The Truth

The judiciary, including the justice system, in a democracy should be independent and free from political interference. However, the ANC and Thabo Mbeki crossed this line a long time ago. Recent attacks on the judiciary once again confirmed to what extent the ANC and its partners would like to involve themselves with the decisions of an independent judiciary. Even though they are already doing it.

The recent capitulation of the Human Rights Commission's demand that Julius Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi should apologise for their "kill" utterances is further proof that the democratic institutions of our country are no longer independent.

The ANC and its alliance partners' obsession to get rid of the Scorpions outside of the must celebrated review of the justice system, shows how the ANC would abuse its power to protect its own members.

Lastly, the recent judgment in the case brought by the City of Cape Town against the Premier of the Western Cape, was another indictment of the ANC's abuse of power to take on its opponents and achieving its own crooked aims. In this judgment it was also clear that the Western Cape ANC government meddled in the justice process and that the Police assisted them by illegally providing them with information on their political opponents.

These are symptoms of a sick democracy.

The judgment by Judge Nicholson was probably the scariest judgment in the history of South Africa relating to its democracy and democratic institutions. It was, as I mentioned earlier, a vindication of the DA's warnings but also a major indictment of President Thabo Mbeki and the ANC. It confirmed that the ANC is subverting South Africa's democracy.

Zuma also a Loser

Even though Zuma can claim that he has been vindicated this is not yet the case. Do not forget that he was part of the same cabinet that interfered in the independence of the judiciary and justice system until that interference turned against him. He is also guilty of subverting South Africa's democracy by his mere association with the ANC.

No Guarantee Zuma would be Different

There is no guarantee therefore that things would be any different under a Zuma presidency than they have been under a Mbeki presidency. After all, it is still the same party in charge. Unless the ANC undergoes a Damascus conversion to democracy, things won't change and judge Nicholson's judgment and the DA's warnings will continue to ring true for years to come. After all the culture in an organisation does not change overnight.

The Other Losers

The obvious losers in this case are President Mbeki, found guilty of subverting the independence of the judiciary and justice system, and the ANC, whose brand of democracy its peddling was found guilty of subverting true democracy.

President Mbeki meddled in the judiciary and justice system for his own faction's gain to persecute Zuma and to protect Selebi. He has been found guilty of subverting our democracy when he was supposed to protect it by oath and he was found guilty of causing a resultant Constitutional crisis as a consequence.

The ANC stood idly by when all this was happening. The fact that another faction is now in charge of the ANC does not change the indictment against it. The same people were in leadership positions when the subversion took place and they failed to act. After all, Zuma was deputy president of the country and the ANC when the meddling in the judiciary already took place. He kept quiet. So did all his cronies currently supporting him. This judgment was a major vote of no confidence in the ANC's idea and brand of a democracy.

The Future

If there is still any remnant of a democracy left in South Africa, the following should take place.

• President Thabo Mbeki should end his term immediately and call elections so that the country can exercise its democratic will.


• The country should be voting Zuma and the ANC out of power for subverting our democracy (although this is unlikely to happen and the status quo would remain).


• Zuma should go public and provide guarantees how he and the ANC would safeguard South Africa's democracy and respect the independence of its justice system, judiciary and democratic institutions. After all, despite his partners' claims, Zuma has won more court cases than he has lost, proving there is nothing wrong with the judiciary apart from the ANC government's meddling. His alliance partners should do the same.


• The independence of our judiciary, justice system and democratic institutions should be strengthened and all ANC deployments should be withdrawn from these bodies with immediate effect as a first step towards that strengthening.

South Africa's democracy remains in crisis if the powers that be does not address the very real indictments contained in Judge Nicholson's judgment. We need to see clear and practical steps to rectify what has been damaged in our democracy by the ANC.

Lastly, when the DA warns that our democracy is in crisis, you may listen to it, it obviously knows what it is talking about. Let's get out there and dethrone the power hungry ANC and its alliance partners!!

I also belong to...

The Association of Democratic Alliance Councillors which is the only organisation in South Africa that is exclusively for city councillors, albeit DA councillors. It is a capacity building organisation for local government councillors and also provides a wide range of support services. Visit the ADAC website for more information. I am currently the National Chairperson of this organisation.

Politics is Crazy!

Maybe i should have stated that politicians are crazy! I have once again realised that in order to be involved in politics and stay sane, you have to be slightly crazy. I can only imagine what people not involved in politics must think about politicians as they watch the eb and flow of political events, arguments and careers.
Just think of these examples.
Bill Clinton: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman..."
Jacob Zuma the former Deputy President of South Africa who reckoned he prevented contracting HIV by taking a shower after sex.

South African President Thabo Mbeki who defies scientists about the causes and treatment of HIV.
It almost seems that we are exposed to these type of crazy ideas on a daily basis. But worse, the limit is exceeded everyday. Just when you thought "I have now seen or heard it all" along comes another politican pushing the envelope.
However, when one looks at the good leaders they seem to be very uncontroversial, and there are many more of them than the crazy ones. Although, I am sure that they must also be a bit crazy in order to tolerate the antics of those who are too crazy. You get my point...
But what should our approach be to some of the crazy things happening around us? And remember it is not just politicians who say and do crazy things, they just do it so much more publicly.
Well the answer in my view is quite simple: have a sense of humour. Embrace the funny side of crazy but don't be seduced by it, the last thing you wanna do is cross over to the dark side!!