GOOD demands action from Premier on finding that Western Cape DA leader breached the Constitution

22 April 2021

Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General and Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, led a demonstration calling on Premier Alan Winde to act on the Public Protector's finding that MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela, leader of the DA in the Western Cape, contravened the Constitution and the Executive Ethics code by lying in the Provincial Parliament about housing projects in Cape Town.

Madikizela wrongly said that the City of Cape Town had been forced by the courts to cancel its plans to develop affordable housing in the inner-city. The truth is that the DA-led City voted to halt the projects. These sites remain vacant and one has now been leased to a large private developer.

Housing delivery in the City has declined as a result - dropping almost 30% in the 2019/2020 year alone.

Herron noted that, “Madikizela has not denied his lies but has indicated he intends taking the Public Protector's report on review – on a technicality. Winde must explain how his cabinet of integrity can include a MEC who has been caught out lying to the parliament they account to”

"Why does Winde need to wait for the outcome of this frivolous court action before acting against a member of his team, a self- confessed liar", Herron asked?

“The legal technicality argument is reminiscent of the so-called Stalingrad Defence adopted by certain other politicians.”

GOOD activists picketed outside the Western Cape Legislature today to demand that Premier Winde holds members of his so-called “cabinet of integrity” to account.

The Public Protector determined that the MEC contravened the Constitution and the Premier must act.

* Subsequent to his lies about inner-city housing, Mr Madikizela has got into trouble for lying about his academic qualifications. This lie was evidently leaked by the DA, not for the sake of integrity, but to remove him from the race for the mayorship of Cape Town to ensure a smooth passage for the candidate party bosses prefer. The Premier has suspended the MEC off that lie, but not for his breach of the Constitution and lies about real service delivery in Cape Town.

Issued by Brett Herron, Secretary-General, GOOD, 22 April 2021