ACDP Questions Democratic Alliance

Thursday, 26 July 2001

Kevin Southgate MPL - ACDP Western Cape


Kevin Southgate MPL and Provincial Chairman of the African Christian
Democratic Party in the Western Cape, in a statement today said that the
ACDP notes Mayor Peter Marais' statement that Johan Smit the mayor's
communication manager and Ben Kieser, Unicity senior legal adviser, have
a history of honest and competent behavior. However Mr. Southgate said,
"The allegations that Kieser was involved in manipulating categories in
order to swing the outcome of the public participation process with
regard to the renaming of the streets, and the subsequent hiding of
letters from the Deputy Mayor are unsettling, but in line with Kieser's
track record of legal advise given to the DA on certain issues. These
issues include, preventing ACDP representation on the Exco despite an
election campaign which promised inclusive government by recommending
the use of an electoral system which illegally excluded the ACDP from
the Exco. Kieser's also ruled on the amendment to the ACDP motion on
"sex tourism" which amounted to a total change of it's content by
addressing only one of three pertinent issues. This is flagrant
disregard of the rules of order."

Southgate went on to say that all this can be understood in the light of
Kieser's politically weighted appointment that requires collaboration
with the ruling party. "This collaboration must surely imply that the
political masters are aware of the doings of their administrative serfs.
If this track record and the reports on Smits actions are anything to go
by, then serious questions need to be asked about all the other DA
political appointees.

Marais quoted a support of 2.5 to 1 on the renaming issue even though it
had been reported that the majority of comments received by the cut off
date opposed the idea. Previously in Council, Marais stated that a
clause in the IDP Document, "promotion of alternative lifestyles" under
the headings 'A Tolerant City' and 'HIV AIDS' pertains to the culture of
gangsterism and not homosexuality. Mr. Marais also claims that he knew
nothing about the irregularities when it came to the public
participation process of the street renaming. In all three cases,
Marais is either misinformed, uninformed or dishonest, or he chooses to
be misinformed in order to further his own agendas as is the case with
this manipulated public participation process.

The DA have once again shown their blatant disregard for the financial
implications of their actions as once again the rate payers will have to
foot the bill of this investigation. It is unfortunate too that the
actions of the Mayor and his two closest staff members raise questions
of the integrity and credibility of the entire Council. The DA is once
again proving that they will do 'anything' to get the job done even if
it means resorting to illegal and / or dishonest activities. Can we be
proud of any of this and should we be following this example set by our
Mayor?"


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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Kevin Southgate at 082 788 1181 / 461 0923 (Provincial Chairman and MPL)
or
Grant Haskin 082 7888 708 (Secretary General and Council Whip)