ANC says DA must come clean on race campaign
The ANC Western Cape welcomes any dialogue on racism as it is a monster destroying the roots of the young tree of our democracy and moral fibre. There is however something fishy about the DA's latest gimmick on this issue.
The ANC is suspicious of the strategic timing of the campaign mounted by the City of Cape Town DA mayor Patricia de Lille in the run-up to the local government elections as it is the DA itself that proclaimed it started electioneering.
It also coincides with De Lille's internal DA campaign to become the Western Cape leader of that party and she might be tempted to use it as a ruse to run such a campaign for personal gain or advancement at the expense of the taxpayer.
Under the DA national leader Helen Zille racism in the Western Cape became more pronounced and divisions deepened here in the city and province. In fact it was institutionalised even further, rather than redressed.
ANC Western Cape deputy secretary Marencia Gillion says: "In the legislature Zille, also the national leader of the DA, is very intolerant when it comes to discussions on race and demography. She will not enter into such a matter with any seriousness but to engage in political mudslinging aimed at the ANC. It is therefore very strange that De Lille launched a campaign that is out of character with her national leader.
"The very role of the DA should also be discussed at such dialogues. Just on Friday I noticed that even in cartoons on official government documents under the DA race stereotyping abound. Like in a picture depicting (DA blue) transfer of knowledge as something passes from a white to a person of colour. This is the stuff that cannot be permitted and should end. We must take such issues up at these dialogues that De Lille calls and which will be sponsored by the ratepayers of Cape Town.
"Such dialogues are going to cost a lot of money that could have been used instead to build and maintain proper toilets for the poor and destitute."
Statement issued by ANC Western Cape deputy secretary Marencia Gillion, March 22 2015
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