Open letter to Mmusi Maimane

5 November 2024

Dear Mmusi,

While I have personally enjoyed hearing some of your stories of meeting world leaders in a past life, I am increasingly concerned at the sprawling incoherence of your role as chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations.

I am writing to specifically express my deep concern regarding your recent statements alleging that the Government of National Unity is “favouring” the Western Cape with a “backdoor deal”. This because the Mid Term Budget mentions an education infrastructure grant. As a member of the committee you chair, I feel it my responsibility to address these inaccuracies directly.

The grant in question is part of Treasury’s Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) programme, which has been running since 2016. Like much of life, only those that apply qualify. In this case only the Western Cape and Gauteng had valid applications. This after following a rigorous process that attaches many requirements.

Moreover, the education infrastructure grant in question was provisionally approved before the formation of the GNU, with some conditions for the Western Cape which was completed in due course and distribution would logically follow. At the 14 October Budget Council meeting, where the Western Cape Minister of Finance has confirmed you were present, the National Minister of Finance explained all of this.

In short then, this shows the system working and there was no backdoor deal.

Your assertion that the GNU is showing favouritism towards the Western Cape by extending this grant is not only factually incorrect but also undermines the integrity of our committee's work. It distracts from the economic imperative of improving education across all provinces. The Chairperson is meant to read the Division of Revenue Bill. Failing that, could you please read the section that you’re attacking?

There’s also another issue here. The DA governed Western Cape has long been proactive in addressing educational challenges and investing in infrastructure for the benefit of all learners. It has done so in a tough fiscal and socio-economic environment.

It can be galling for other provinces’ leadership that the Western Cape succeeds, but it’s good for residents of the Western Cape. I would also posit that it exposes other provinces’ failures and is therefore good for citizens there too. The thinly veiled and increasingly toxic anti-Western Cape rhetoric from you and other sour grapes is unhelpful. When based on misinformation as is the case here, it graduates to being unacceptable.

Misinformation undermines truth and erodes public trust in our institutions. I don’t want to kick a man when he’s down and I understand that you no longer have large party machinery behind you. Therefore, fact checking might falter for you. Perhaps reconsider making remarks at all? If, as in this case, you end up being quite wrong and it is pointed out to you from folks across party lines, why not publicly correct the record regarding the circumstances and timing of the grant?

I believe you can. Doing so would demonstrate a commitment to factual accuracy and help maintain the credibility of our committee. Failing that, you risk bringing the Standing Committee into disrepute and we will have to then consider the best way forward.

I remain available to discuss this.

Sincerely,

Mark John Burke, DA National Spokesperson on Appropriations