DA is rebuilding, refocusing and reconnecting with the people of South Africa

Over the past two days, the Democratic Alliance’s Federal Executive (FedEx) convened for its first sitting since the election of the party’s new Interim Federal Leader and Interim Federal Chairperson. The FedEx discussed and decided upon matters of importance to the party and the nation and this press statement serves to communicate such.

The FedEx began by congratulating John Steenhuisen and Ivan Meyer on their election as Interim Federal Leader and Interim Federal Chairperson respectively. The FedEx was unanimous in giving its full support to and confidence in the leadership, and fully endorsed the new direction in which the party will head towards the 2021 Local Government Elections and beyond.

In their remarks to the meeting, the new Interim Leadership provided the FedEx with the following key principles upon which the DA must embrace in its new direction.

Firstly, it is vital that the party goes back to the basics, guided by the Interim Federal Leader’s insistence on the “ABCs” of politics – Activism, Branches and Campaigning. To reaffirm the DA at the rational centre of our political spectrum will require us to make the hard yards and avoid shortcuts at all costs. This is the only way to re-establish “clear blue water” between the DA and other political parties and their respective offers to the electorate.

Secondly, it was laid down that members of FedEx and the party as a whole should, even during moments of debate and disagreement, always maintain a culture of respect, openness and transparency. Now is the time for greater discipline in our unity of purpose. Now is a time for big ideas and big principles – not big personalities.

Thirdly, there was a firm commitment made to rebuild, refocus and reconnect with the people of South Africa. This will be a collective effort and it is all hands on deck – from the Federal Leaders to branch members.

And lastly, the recent report released by the Auditor-General, Kimi Makwetu, highlighted the DA governance difference, with 70% of Departments in the Western Cape receiving clean audits. This means that public money is being used carefully for service delivery and development, and not stolen. FedEx particularly congratulated Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, the Western Cape MEC for Health, as being the only Health MEC in the country to receive a clean audit.

The FedEx held extensive engagement on a wide range of issues as follows:

The Economy

The South African economy remains the single biggest threat to a shared, prosperous future for all. Runaway unemployment rates, the collapse of SOEs, and growing inequality signal that the status quo remains Recent pronouncements made by the national government are yielding little to no tangible change to the economy and to the lives of South Africans – in particular the poor and unemployed. Our job is to work hard to provide hope and opportunity to the over 10 million unemployed South Africans.

A decade ago our national debt sat at 30% of GDP. Today it is almost 60% of GDP, and Treasury expects this to climb to 80% by 2028.The country is fast running out of money and we are staring down the barrel of economic and fiscal collapse.

Our sole focus must be to open up, diversify and grow the economy. The DA will drive this agenda through the National Assembly by pursuing the following five pieces of crucial legislation:

  1. The Cheaper Electricity Bill to provide the legislative framework to lower the cost of electricity and boost the reliability of supply – both of which are critical to the performance of our economy. This will split Eskom into two, allowing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to come on board and provide electricity to our much-strained grid;
  2. The Public Finance Management Amendment Bill to extend Parliament’s oversight capacity in relation to the granting or refusal of government guarantees, indemnities and securities;
  3. The Labour Relations Amendment Bill to protect the public from violence and intimidation during strike action, as well as from malicious destruction of private property. It also seeks to allow non-striking workers the freedom to go to work without intimidation or threats;
  4. The Red Tape Impact Assessment Bill that will slash red tape and over-burdensome bureaucracy, making it easier for SMMES and businesses to create new jobs; and
  5. The Small Enterprises Ombud Service Bill to address the problem of delayed payments and bullying by big business through the establishment of an Ombud Service to create a level playing field between small businesses, big businesses and government.

In terms of South African Airways (SAA), FedEx endorsed the position to put SAA under business rescue in order to mitigate any further loss of revenue and to ensure that the entity is a going concern. SAA is losing an estimated R52 million per day and is a ticking timebomb. The only sustainable solution is to seek part or full privatisation of the beleaguered SOE and we call on President Ramaphosa to take a firm stance against his union friends in favour of economic stability..

Our nation’s growing inequality strengthens the DA’s view that redress is a non-negotiable in SA, however redress is not best advance through race-based interventions. Undeniably, the majority of the poor are black, but if we fail to look at disadvantage holistically we will not build a prosperous country for all, and we will not achieve meaningful and lasting redress.

It is crucial that we set out clear markers of disadvantage and this will be a central aspect at the party’s Policy Conference in April next year.

National Drought Crisis

Our country is in the midst of a crippling drought crisis which requires immediate intervention by all spheres of government. Currently there are one million farms at risk, jeopardizing trade, national food security, and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Since January 2018, 31 000 jobs have been shed in provinces affected by the drought. It is time for government to take ownership of drought management or face being an accomplice to the collapse of province’s rural economy and to large scale job losses.

Earlier this month, Parliament was informed by national government that R1.3 billion is needed to contain the effects of the ongoing drought crisis and its impact on the agricultural sector.

FedEx welcomes the Western Cape government’s decision to provide R50 million in additional funding for drought relief in the province. We call on all other provinces to follow suit by invoking Section 25 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) to set aside funds for drought relief.

In addition to extra funding, the DA proposes the following three immediate interventions:

  1. A declaration of a national drought state of disaster to mitigate the effects of the ongoing national drought crisis;
  2. The creation of a temporary jobs fund to assist with the paying of wages of some of the worst-hit farms. A temporary jobs fund will not only help prevent further job losses, but it will help free up much-needed funds to provide for livestock feed, water infrastructure, borehole drilling, desilting of dams and covering any replanting costs.
  3. The establishment of an inter-departmental task team between the National Treasury, Department of Water and Sanitation, Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to develop a strategy for the completion of big-budget water infrastructure projects. Government’s chronic inability to manage big-budget capital projects has largely contributed to the ongoing water crisis.

City of Johannesburg

The DA thanks Mayor Mashaba for the work he has done in leading a complex multiparty government and his role in bringing real change to the country’s economic hub. FedEx endorsed the nomination of Councillor Funzi Ngobeni as our candidate for Mayor. The vote for the new Mayor will take place at a Council meeting scheduled for Thursday, 28 November 2019.

We have noted that the EFF will field a mayoral candidate and we assume the ANC will do the same. We are confident that we have the support of our formal coalition partners, and we will work together to ensure that Joburg does not fall back into the hands of coalition of corruption, as is the case in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Head of Policy & Policy Conference

Considering the party’s Policy Conference scheduled for 4 & 5 April next year, FedEx considered the appointment of a Head of Policy. It is critical that a Head of Policy is appointed as soon as practically possible in order to get the ball rolling as it relates to the Policy Conference.

The position of Head of Policy will be employed as a staff member and tasked with implementing political decisions and direction as it pertains to policy.

Despite this appointment being an HR process, and not a political process, FedEx considered both the job description and the individual who has been identified to fill this role.

Having begun the policy process some months ago before her resignation, Gwen Ngwenya, has been identified to fill this role. Gwen brings with her enormous experience and talent as it pertains to policy. The process to appoint her is fully underway.

Conclusion

The time for excuses, taking voters for granted and being unclear about who we are and what we are about is over. We are working hard to rebuild, refocus and reconnect with the people of South Africa. The project we are engaged in is too important to fail because South Africa is running out of both time and money. The DA is ready to build a united and prosperous South Africa for all.

DA stands united against the new coalition of corruption between the EFF, UDM & ANC

The following remarks were delivered today by DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane, following a special sitting of the party’s Federal Executive (FedEx) to consider the status of DA-led coalition governments. Maimane will be joined by Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng Leader, John Moodey, DA Tshwane Regional Chairperson, Abel Tau, DA Johannesburg Regional Chairperson, Heinrich Volmink, DA Gauteng West Regional Chairperson, Evert Du Plessis and DA Ekurhuleni Regional Chairperson, Selby Thekiso.

Today, the DA’s Federal Executive (FedEx) convened for a special sitting to consider and determine the party’s approach to the systematic and calculated attack on DA-led coalition governments by the newly formed coalition of corruption between the EFF and the ANC.

Following the events over the past few days, and amid such attacks on the will of the voters, as Leader of the DA I felt it important that the FedEx met to decide on a way forward. FedEx discussed and considered the past two years of governance by DA-led coalitions in major cities following the 2016 Local Government Election.

When DA-led coalitions took office in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), we committed to achieving three goals: cutting corruption, growing the economy to create jobs, and speeding up the delivery of basic, quality services to all residents. Together with our partners ACDP, COPE, VF+, IFP and UDM, we took over from ANC administrations that had built networks of patronage and corruption to steal the people’s money for themselves.

Before we could begin on delivering on these commitments and moving in the right direction, the rot of corruption and self-enrichment that existed needed to be cleaned out. From day one, the sheer enormity of the financial mess inherited from previous ANC governments was as clear as daylight. This took months and months of hard work by these governments, and today we are yielding the fruits.

I want to commend these DA-led coalition governments on this outstanding work, which has resulted in freeing up more public money to spend on delivering services to all. Tshwane has moved from a R2 billion deficit to a R704 million surplus, and Nelson Mandela Bay has a R615 million surplus – its best financial position in over a decade.

These governments have also made huge inroads into cutting corruption. Johannesburg has uncovered R18 billion in corruption within the city, Nelson Mandela Bay cancelled corruption contracts to the tune of R650 million and opened tender adjudication processes to the public, and Tshwane has cleared out corrupt officials in the administration and fought against the corrupt R 2 billion PEU contract in court and won.

Tshwane has tripled the amount of direct 9nvestment into the city and has been named the fasting growing city in Africa. Johannesburg has created 103 000 new jobs in the first six months of this year, and Nelson Mandela Bay has tripled the number of EPWP jobs while creating a young graduate programme for young jobseekers.

In terms of service delivery, in Tshwane the luxurious mayoral mansion of the previous ANC government was sold for R5 million rand in order to build houses for poor residents without a home, and 1800 bursaries to the value of R34 million have been awarded to young people.

Johannesburg saw the electrification of 6000 homes for the very first time, while Nelson Mandela Bay eradicated almost 10 000 bucket toilets and ensured 12 000 residents received running water and flush toilets in their homes for the first time.

Real progress is being made, and in just two years DA-led coalition governments are doing what ANC governments could not do in two decades. Millions of South Africans are receiving clean, efficient and delivery-orientated service not ever experienced under the ANC before 2016. Indeed, the biggest electoral threat to the ANC and the EFF has been the successes of DA-led coalition governments.

In light of this, FedEx considered the current status of DA-led coalition governments and came to the following resolutions.

Firstly, we recommit to the formal coalition agreement signed by all coalition partners in August 2016 following the last Local Government Elections. We still believe this document provides the founding values and principles on which governments are build and maintained in the best interests of citizens. This agreement remains open to any political party that shares the values of constitutionalism, non-racialism, the rule of law, a market-based economy, the eradication of corruption, and the speeding up of the delivery of basic services to all. In this light, the DA-led coalition government in Johannesburg will continue the work of the people.

However, in light of the UDM’s joining of the coalition of corruption in NMB, FedEx has resolved to formally approach coalition partners to review the inclusion of the UDM in this formal agreement. It cannot be that the UDM consistently acts in cahoots with corrupt parties, and in contravention of the agreement. I will be meeting with the leaders of the coalition partners ACDP, COPE, VF+ and IFP soon, and the outcome of this will be communicated in due course.

It is important that the coalition partners strengthen our resolve against the coalition of corruption that has been formed by the ANC, EFF and the UDM, and I want to thank Rev. Kenneth Meshoe, Terror Lekota, Dr  Pieter Groenewald and Prince Mangosotho Buthulezi for their steadfast resolve against this new coalition of corruption.

Secondly, FedEx notes Monday’s sitting of the Nelson Mandela Bay council where the new coalition of corruption between the ANC, EFF and UDM attempted to remove Executive Mayor Athol Trollip, and replace him with a corrupt new Mayor and ANC-dominated Mayoral Committee. We echo the view that this decision was invalid and has no effect in law. Athol Trollip remains the mayor of NMB, and the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth will consider this matter tomorrow morning. The DA and our partners will come out in numbers to support Mayor Trollip because we believe a victory on this matter will be a victory for the people of NMB.

FedEx fully supports Athol Trollip in this fight and believe that he remains the de jure mayor of NMB. Mayor Trollip’s coalition government has brought change to the lives of NMB residents, and we won’t allow the coalition of corruption to steal back the city through the back door.

Thirdly, FedEx considered tomorrow’s scheduled Motion of No Confidence in Tshwane Mayor, Solly Msimanga. The DA has full faith in Solly Msimanga in his current role as Executive Mayor. He has led the city remarkably well over the past two years and has taken all necessary steps to act against any allegations of maladministration in the city. This support for Solly is unanimous and is echoed by all 5 DA regional chairpersons in Gauteng, who join me here today. Tomorrow the DA and our partners will be out in our numbers outside the Tshwane council in support of Solly Msimanga and the DA-led coalition government in the Capital City.

Therefore, the DA will not be fielding a new candidate for Tshwane Mayor in tomorrow’s council sitting as arrogantly demanded by the EFF. The DA upholds consistency and transparency. The voters elected Solly Msimanga as their mayor, and we will not cave to the demands of the minority. The mayor’s office does not have a revolving door policy determined by the whims of the minority.

If the EFF decides to formalise its coalition of corruption with the ANC tomorrow and supports their Motion of No Confidence in the DA-led coalition government in Tshwane, then they have showed their true colours as being nothing more than the military wing of the ANC – aiding and abetting corruption and looting.

The DA will stand on principle and if that means losing power in any governments, so be it. We refuse to compromise on our values to this new coalition of corruption. If the EFF hand back any DA-led coalition governments to the corrupt ANC, it will be for the people of SA to punish them at polls next year.

History has shown the EFF to make serious judgments of error in the past – from Jacob Zuma, to Public Protector Mkhwebane, to the VBS bank. Tomorrow the EFF is faced with an important decision. History, and the voters, will judge them for their choice.

If the EFF decides to support the removal of the DA-led coalition in Tshwane, they will have shown the people of South Africa that they are happy to remove clean governments and give these cities back to the ANC.

DA will consider de Lille’s submissions on why she should not resign

Last week, after an overwhelming majority of councillors in the DA’s City of Cape Town caucus confirmed that they had lost confidence in Ms de Lille’s leadership by voting for the Motion of No Confidence against her, the Federal Executive (FedEx) provided Ms de Lille with the opportunity to make submissions as to why she should not step down.

The FedEx has received Ms de Lille’s submissions which will now be considered and decided upon in due course. We note that Ms de Lille has chosen to make her submissions public and will not allow this to affect the procedures of FedEx in any way.

It is important that this process of considering the submissions not be rushed, and that FedEx properly and fairly apply their minds.

At all times, the DA will act to ensure that the people we have been entrusted to serve will come first. This includes removing those who do not adhere to the high standards of clean and efficient governance which the DA demands.

DA Federal Executive takes decision to charge Helen Zille

The following statement was delivered today by DA Leader, Mmusi Maimane, at a press conference following a sitting of the party’s Federal Executive (FedEx) in Cape Town. Maimane was joined by the Chairperson the DA’s Federal Executive, James Selfe, and DA National Spokesperson, Phumzile Van Damme.
The Federal Executive of the Democratic Alliance has today – at a sitting in Cape Town – taken a decision to institute formal disciplinary action against Ms Helen Zille, following recommendations presented by the Party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC).
This has not been an easy decision to take. Ms Zille is a former leader of the Democratic Alliance, and the Premier of the Western Cape. She has contributed immensely to the growth and success of the DA over the past decade. In the course of her life, she has consistently fought oppression and discrimination. However, my job as the Leader of the DA is to grow our party and advance our project of building a non-racial, prosperous democracy. Nothing is more important that this project, and no one is bigger than it. I must protect this project, and cannot tolerate any action or behaviour by any person which undermines or harms it. It is my belief that Ms Zille’s assertions did just that, and therefore require action.
The charge against Ms Zille is that she has violated the Party’s Federal Constitution by acting in a manner which has brought the party into disrepute. A formal disciplinary hearing will now be instituted in order to come to a finding.
Today’s decision follows a series of tweets by Ms Zille, published on 16 March 2017, which sought to communicate her experiences and impressions following a week-long visit to Singapore.
As Party Leader, I referred Ms Zille to the Federal Legal Commission on 16 March 2017 for investigation in order for that body to determine whether the public assertions by Ms Zille amounted to prima facie evidence of misconduct in terms the Federal Constitution. The Federal Legal Commission, in its report to the FedEx, confirms that there is in fact a case for Ms Zille to answer, and therefore the FedEx has decided to proceed with disciplinary action.
It must be made clear that this matter is not strictly confined to the series of tweets by Ms Zille. Since then, the matter has developed further. Therefore the initial referral was supplemented on 22 March 2017 to include reference to “a series of comments (made) publicly and on social media that have…exacerbated and amplified the original tweet.”
In particular, the FLC will now determine if Ms Zille has breached the following provisions of the DA’s Federal Constitution:
2.5.4.1 – publicly opposes the Party’s principles or repeatedly opposes published party policies, except in or through the appropriate Party structures;
2.5.4.2 – deliberately acts in a way which impacts negatively on the image or performance of the Party;
2.5.4.5 – brings the good name of the Party into disrepute or harms the interests of the Party;
As Party Leader, I have confidence in the independence and institutional strength of our internal structures and mechanisms, and we await the outcome arrived at by the disciplinary action – whatever that may be. The Democratic Alliance is a party committed to due process and the rule of law. That means everyone is equal before the party’s constitution, and it means that in every case, due process will be followed. This naturally places some limitations on what can be said about the details of the case in public. The FLC is not a body controlled by me or anyone in the DA. It is a panel of independently-minded, legally qualified individuals, who must hear the evidence and make a decision.
Notwithstanding this internal matter, I would like to make it abundantly clear that the DA remains resolute in our mission towards 2019. Our mission is clear: we seek to bring all South Africans together behind the vision of a united, non-racial future, under the Constitution, with a growing economy.
We are fast running out of time to save our country from the clutches of the Zuma administration and its Gupta bosses. Now, more than ever, we need to push on in removing Zuma from power.
In this light I will be leading thousands of South Africans on a march to the ANC HQ at Luthuli House this Friday, 7 April 2017, calling on the ANC to support our Motion of No Confidence in Jacob Zuma – which will be before Parliament in the coming weeks.
I have also convened a meeting with the leaders of all opposition parties in Parliament, in order to come together and agree on the way forward in removing Jacob Zuma from office. This meeting will be held on Monday, 3 April 2017, in Johannesburg.
Together, as South Africans from all walks of life, we must stand up for the Constitution, and everything it represents. We must to build a fair society in which every single South African – no matter the circumstances of their birth – can live a life they truly value.
For this to occur, we must be resolute in our commitment to change, which will require all of us as South Africans to work together in building the shared future we all dream of.