DA/UDM takes West Coast District Municipality
This is a report in the print edition of the Cape Times. I've no hyperlink yet, but if I get one I'll update this.
The single West Coast UDM councillor has allied with the DA and becomes deputy mayor of the municipality.
Pottie Potgieter becomes mayor of the West Coast. Pottie's a gentleman, very strongly from Theuns Botha's ex-NNP side of the party and fiercely loyal to our party. He is a strong advocate of the rights of Afrikaans speakers. He is outspoken in advocacy of the death penalty, an issue over which I have respectfully jousted with him twice. He is a devout Christian. He chaired the electoral committee of the Western Cape DA, which selected its candidates for MP and MPL in the 2004 election.
The West Coast has got a really good guy as mayor.
The question was put to a DA spokesperson of whether Deputy Mayor Majola's position amounts to the kind of bribe condemned by the DA in the aftermath of the recent floor-crossing; and the answer is, quite obviously, no.
There is a profound ethical difference between a bribe for someone to cross the floor, who thus abandons the party's voters; and the division of a government into roles fulfilled by members of different parties in an alliance. Deputy Mayor Majola has exercised his mandate from his constituency. He remains a member of the UDM. He doesn't accept the DA whip. That he is now the deputy mayor of his municipality simply reflects his role in the coalition government.
The single West Coast UDM councillor has allied with the DA and becomes deputy mayor of the municipality.
Pottie Potgieter becomes mayor of the West Coast. Pottie's a gentleman, very strongly from Theuns Botha's ex-NNP side of the party and fiercely loyal to our party. He is a strong advocate of the rights of Afrikaans speakers. He is outspoken in advocacy of the death penalty, an issue over which I have respectfully jousted with him twice. He is a devout Christian. He chaired the electoral committee of the Western Cape DA, which selected its candidates for MP and MPL in the 2004 election.
The West Coast has got a really good guy as mayor.
The question was put to a DA spokesperson of whether Deputy Mayor Majola's position amounts to the kind of bribe condemned by the DA in the aftermath of the recent floor-crossing; and the answer is, quite obviously, no.
There is a profound ethical difference between a bribe for someone to cross the floor, who thus abandons the party's voters; and the division of a government into roles fulfilled by members of different parties in an alliance. Deputy Mayor Majola has exercised his mandate from his constituency. He remains a member of the UDM. He doesn't accept the DA whip. That he is now the deputy mayor of his municipality simply reflects his role in the coalition government.
posted by mal @ 9:05 AM
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