Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has clearly rejected the overtures made by South African President Jacob Zuma to opposition parties during his inaugural address. In his opening speech Zuma called upon opposition parties to work with the government where there are areas of common interest and called upon the ruling party to be more open to criticism.
Within days the leader of the Democratic Alliance put any thoughts of a honeymoon period or temporary truce to bed as she let fly at the president with both barrels. In response to attacks on her choice of a provincial cabinet, Zille turned on Zuma’s lifestyle and its impact on HIV/Aids. She further suggested that he was putting his wives at risk and presenting a poor role model to our youth.
Fair comment?
Not if you consider that this debate had been aired ad nausea prior to the election, that Zuma had just extended an olive branch to her days before, that he was not one of those who criticised her choices and that the country was looking for positive direction after the mudslinging that passed as campaigning in the build-up to the vote.
This is now being followed by the Western Cape premier holding her opening address in the legislature prior to the president’s state of the nation address.
In terms of South African tradition the president would give his address first and the premiers some time thereafter.
While the Constitution does not prescribe the order that these have to take place and Zille, via her spokesperson, has defended the decision on the basis that they have a budget to complete before the end of June, this smacks of bloody-mindedness.
Whether the committees can be constituted or not or that the DA has to review an ANC budget, the fact is that in order to accommodate this convention or tradition the DA could, if they wished to, continue to work informally prior to the premier’s address.
At this point it appears that they are going head to head with the ANC on principle rather than picking their fights.
The problem with this approach is that you may well antagonise your constituency who would rather deal with issues as they crop up as opposed to seeking showdowns as a matter of course.
South Africans do not wish to spend every day of their existence electioneering.
They may well tire of never-ending confrontation sooner rather than later.
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63 Responses to “Zille unmoved by Zuma olive branch”
But they may well thrill at the Leader of the Official Opposition really dictating a cracking pace and leaving the President to find his dim way forward choked in her dust.
As South Africans, all parties need to put differences aside and work together for the common good. I was deeply disturbed by Ms Zille’s attack on Mr Zuma’s personal behaviour, rather than his politics. This was out of line, unwise and a case of playing the man, not the ball. I sincerely hope that a more collaborative approach will soon be taken, with service delivery the primary focus.
Zuma’s olive branch is a joke. This is dirty politics, ANC style. The ANC fired the opening salvos in this war and they are playing the game at two levels - one in the open where Zuma is appearing reasonable and accommodating and one via the back door where the attack dogs have been unleashed on Zille and her crew.
The ANC have, as predicted, resorted to any means necessary to discredit the DA. You accuse Zille of personal attack but ignore the context of the comments fired at her by the ANCYL and countless others. The woman is under fire from a well oiled propaganda machine and she is having to drop her own ethical standards simply to compete. The ANC attacks are personal and nasty and sometimes plain abusive, threatening and aggressive. I, for one, am rather happy that Zille punches back. Its what the ANC needs…opposition to its puffed up sense of self importance.
The ANC can’t allow her to be a success or the rot may set in. She can’t afford to fail her new voters. Its going to be dirty but lets look at both sides here and see who needs to do what top win. Zille needs to do her job well. The ANC need to spoil her attempts. Its that simple.
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that Zuma’s address was originally scheduled before the date of the Zilla address.
To be honest if the ANC move a date, then why should everyone else have to fall in line?
I agree that Helen Zille should choose her battles a bit more carefully, but you have to consider her position…. if I was her the first thing I would be doing would be getting a full forensic audit on everything the ANC touched in the Cape. As she isn’t doing that, then her team need as much time as possible to find out just what sort of mess the ANC have left her with.
This woman has clearly spurned the hand of co-operation and reconciliation of the honourable President! If Zille thinks she is running her own homeland down south, she is making a big mistake! The masses will not allow this racist woman to carve out a white homeland after the defeat of apartheid! She will be challenged!
Oh please. Haven’t you noticed that Helen Zille is in opposition to the ANC and distrusts every word and move the “president” makes.
I voted for her and expect of her to watch him closely - with bloody good reason.
To expect her to act as you suggest is preposterous.
Traps. The Zuma/Zille spat has nothing to do with an olive branch. As you have said it has been disected at nauseum and I do not agree with your findings. Zille seems determined to get on with her job, make an indellible impression of good governance, and not be forced into any mould. If fighting on principles upsets her constituents they would not have voted for the DA. Tackling issues “as they arise” is the ANC way and they usually explode before being addressed. Why wait for riots, strikes and the odd insult to JZ for a reaction? (usually too little, too late). Budgetting, planning and doing the job will show the results months ahead of the ANC knee-jerk methods. Why measure the DA by the mediocrity of the past ANC achievements?
Traditions and a bruised ego will fade over time.
Zille is doing, the others are still making noises and kicking for touch. They must get over it and look to their own responsibilities.
Yeah, South Africans are getting even more tired of the ANC, journalists and certain columnists making mountains out of complete and utter non-stories such as these.
I mean, sheesh. I know Helen is white, but since when should that prevent her from making a speech?
I am particularly impressed man. In fact I can’t think of a better outlook on a way forward than that of your as elloquently put here.
People are tired of the bad-Zuma-AIDS-shower. Ask Zapiro. This DA vendetta with president Jacob Zuma smacks of political maturity that the DA has fairly built their reputation on. I mean the lets-forget-about-the-past politics.
It is unfortunate that Helen will bring the DA to its knees. She is taking this once promising opposition party to the grave by her regressive approach.
I used to take Helen seriously. Not anymore. It seems she is on the offencive mood every single time she takes to the podium.
Her approach is really divisive of the people of this country. I don’t know what her interests are for the next 5 years but obviously not a progressive and united South Africa.
“Now her faux pas is likely to linger for the rest of her political career because of her intransigence, but also because this intransigence is exactly what the African National Congress (ANC) needs to keep the issue alive until the next elections.
Who can blame them? T he Democratic Alliance would do exactly the same if the ANC leader had messed up.” Xolelwa Mangcu
What honeymoon, there is no marriage. Thank goodness for that.
Why is it that this is considered confrontational?
Zuma should have made his speach days ago the election was more than a month ago. The car dealers can wait.
Zille has not picked a fight with any one. It is only foolish for any person to assume that since Zuma is president that all the dirt that has been hanging around him should so miraculously dissapear.
The ANC chose Zuma as president, their fault, let them suffer the consequences, court time.
But as an ANC supporter you don’t want to hear or see that do you.
Personally I think the ANC should be watching Zilles speach carefully to see what direction good governance should be taking. The ANC has sorely lacked (and I am sure still lacks) leadership with a will to provide.
Convention is something the ANC threw away a long time ago in not giving any chairs of committees.
There is work to be done in the Western Cape, a lot of work to overcome ANC damage and loss. Zille is a leader she knows what she is doing.
You see I would not be writing so disrespectfully about the ANC and its leadership if … well they had done better - a lot better.
Let Zille continue to self-destruct. She is hardening the radicals within the ANC, and when we begin to confront her privillaged lilly white constituency will hope they had stopped her whilst she was misbehaving and being beligerent! Some of us are starting to realse that this nonsense of rainbow nation means we must tolerate our former protester’s attacks. Well, no more.
Ms Zille is in a destruction mode.She targets Mr Zuma, which she thinks is a soft target.If she considers history,This is going to be a very difficult battle to win.So she must just cooperate with the President to avoid embarrasment.
Re the Premier’s speech coming before the President’s, I think the strategy here is to show up the ANC-the budget story is a ruse. Combative? yes. But the DA are well within their rights.
It needn’t be a bad thing that the ANC is kept on its toes, look how cope sent a flabby ANC back to the gym…
While I totally agree with the gist of Mike’s article, I differ with him on the nature of HZ’s opposition which he says is on principle. I wouldn’t see HZ’s opposition to the ANC in general and JZ in particular as being done “on principle,” as Mike characterizes it. Rather I would say it is an unthinking approach dedicated to opposition for its own sake. HZ needs to give her constituency a positive program to retain their support, especially the support of the most pragmatic ones.
Mbenge Ziko
On the other hand, it is the ANC that is making a huge deal out of what is, after all, a “tradition” that has now taken place a grand total of three times. And you reckon it’s Zille who’s spoiling for a fight?
Traps
We have read comments in the recent past about the ANC Youth League, to the effect that it each President wants to be more radical/louder than the predecessor. I think that’s what we are witnessing with Mrs Zille. For those of us who see nothing wrong with this attitude, we must bear in mind that this is politics, and we might not understand when the favour is returned, and we know who has more power.
I thought winning elections was about meeting the needs of the people, not regional triumphalism whose administration may be frustrated for the full 5 year term. The people of the WC voted against the ANC to punish them for infighting in the province, and it seems Zille is igniting new fires, unaware that the people are tired of fighting. This is not the brightest of approaches.
I am very disappointed in Zille. She is at every turn rejecting any opportunity to work together for a better SA. I expected her to do what Zuma is doing so well. Letting his cronies handle the insults and bad press, and concentrate on the positive stuff. Zille is so negative that I and my circle of friends will probably not vote DA again.
Paul Young
What came first the attacks on the composition of Zille’s cabinet or her criticism of the ANC’s gender equality hypocrisy. Aside of the puerile attacks by the ANCYL and co, Mantashe suggested that Zille was public enemy number one, that the DA was hostile and would therefore not have the chairs of any of the parliamentary committees. Now that is bloody mindedness. What has to be realised in all of this is that despite what Zuma said at the inauguration, the ANC will go out of its way to undermine the DA Western Cape administration in as many ways as it can. The attack on Zille personally and the land issue are only the start. The mistake Zille made was giving them the necessary ammunition to do it.
Traps
You are guilty of misrepresentation here - not sure if it is “deliberate”, or “negligent”, to borrow from the legal fraternity.
Zille did not “turn on Zuma’s lifestyle and its impact on HIV/Aids, in response to attacks on her choice of a provincial cabinet.”
What she did - very clumsily and in a manner sure to cause offence - and in response to claims that her choice of cabinet showed an insensitivity to gender issues, was to point out that the ANC leader’s BEHAVIOUR and statements on various issues is entirely inconsistent with the notion of gender equality.
Zuma has proven himself to be a craftier and more street-wise politician than Zille, unfettered by her dogged determination to stick to principle.
Zuma is indeed to be commended for not engaging in personal attacks during the election period - and after.
As an accomplished, crafty and very streetwise politician, he used his proxy stormtroopers the ANCYL, COSATU and MK vets to do his dirty work for him.
Is it really a massive issue for Zille to break with tradition and hold her opening address before the Presidents? Who has made an issue out of it? The ANC (to score political points) & media (to sell newspapers).
How do you rate the ANC’s response to their President’s call to be more open to criticism?
The ID and UDM both ran “positive” election campaigns - look how this worked out for them!
Politicians should always be judged by their deeds, not their words.
Zuma’s ‘olive branch’ was a prop in a performance of political theatre! Of course, Zuma wants everyone to hold hands and be ‘comrades’– because that will make it all the harder for the Opposition to do its Constitutionally mandated job of holding the Government to account!
Zille’s comments on Zuma were not only ‘fair’, they were a matter of public record and were in response to a vicious campaign launched by the ANCYL accusing her of sexism–and of having sexual relations with her Cabinet! That came FIRST, Traps, immediately after the Cabinet members were announced..
For the better part of a year, Zille had been ignoring or brushing off the increasingly misogynist and racist insults levelled at her. When she responded after the ’sleeping around accusations’, she did so in calm, rational terms. Re-read the letter!
And Zuma, the supposed ‘peacemaker’? He has his surrogates to do his misogynist fighting for him: Malema, Shivambu, Booi, even Sexwale. It’s easy to play the ‘good guy’ when you have a stable full of thugs to do your dirty work.
You’ll notice there was a thundering silence from Zuma when the MK threatened to make the Cape ‘ungovernable’. That is incitement to violence but the President said nothing. He is hiding behind an image, Traps.
The date of Zille’s speech reflects the legal issues facing her government and that is her primary responsibility. November may be Zuma’s target; Zille’s is now.
to make zuma look like the good guy, when he really isn’t — i’m guessing you want themba maseko’s job.
it’s a shame that, in the south african context, “democracy” means “anything that the anc and only the anc says is correct and just and everything else is heresy and a wish to return to apartheid.”
because most south africans are stuck in that mentality, it’s going to get worse before its better.
Interesting all these predictions about Zille and the DA self-destructing. Wasn’t the same said of the former leader Tony Leon. Seems like the DA is onto something.
Paul Young you have laid it out in black and white. I find it remarkable that HZ has not been able to arrive at this conclusion herself. The DA needs to start understanding the game that is being played against them.
HZ must not get personally caught up in this mudslinging exercise. They are purposefully engineered to trip her up. What the ANCYL says does not hurt the ANC. If ANCYL throws mud then DA youth league must respond, and not the premier of the WC even if the ANCYL is directing the comment at her. This habit of HZ’s to be personally involved in everything that the DA does is detrimental to the party and her image, even though her intentions may be honorable.
The way the election was fought it is clear that what seems just, righteous and obvious to some, is totally irrelevant to many. Perceptions are important in the short term, but results are important in the long term. DA has five years, they do not need to politic anymore, they must focus on getting the job done and getting their representation right. Black people in the DA need to be seen to be making decisions and not just for the sake of being pc but also for the sake of acknowledging that whites generally do not have any idea of what many people of colour have to go through to get though the day. This is the only option with a future.
Why is it that the ANC and its assorted hangers on cannot come to terms with the fact that the DA thrashed them in the Western Cape. The DA and its supporters are under no obligation to ingratiate themselves with the ruling structures in fact it would be most unwise to do so.
I am of the view that getting close and cuddly with the ANC is a kiss of death for any opposition party in this country. HZ and her team must keep their distance and govern the Western Cape for the benefit of its people. If they can show the ANC up in the process so much the better, because this is what the ANC is most afraid of.
The timing of the Premiers addresses is an ANC tradition not a DA tradition and this nonsense is just another puerile contrivance to paint the DA in a bad light. It will not work.
In conclusion Michael, Bengo, Dithabana, Siphiwo, Pasile, Ngungunyane, et al, try and get used to the idea that you lost and that your party is proving to be as ineffectual in opposition as they were in government in the Western Cape.
Zapiro says it all with his self destructing Godzille cartoon. Man, what happened to the Hellen Zille of before the election? Is this sort of punching below the belt going to continue? Then it is goodby to the DA.
I have a problem with the fact that seemingly independent-minded South Africans continuously succumb to the ANC’s nauseating bully tactics.
Not once has HZ been found wanting on protocol and correctness in any of her actions. The ANC continuously shift goal-posts mainly as a result of their deliberately totalitarian attitude and ineptitude. Just because they enjoy the support of a majority that is largely illiterate, possibly very racist and doesn’t have the vaguest idea of what a properly constituted democracy is? This is displayed by the attitude of MK and others who threaten to resort to violence if a female (white) premier doesn’t toe the line.
HZ is already becoming a hero of sorts, and I don’t think all South Africans are so cowardly as to opt for the Zimbabwe-option - we can take the heat. Some of us really love this land and it’s potential; and we WILL struggle for what is good and right
I suggest you and those who share your views now need to leave HZ alone to show the rest of your mates or idols of how a province and ultimately a country should be run. She has done it with CT.
Well, I’m not unhappy with Zille. What is a democracy without a courageous opposition reminding folk of their rights, common sense and the rule of law.
I agree with Grant, this is dirty and demeaning politics with no other purpose than to defame and diminish the voters of the Western Cape who have had the intelligence and realization that they are tired of the lack of service, and tired of the threats to their freedom and the desired greatness of South Africa.
Minorities must speak up for themselves or be lost to the whims of demigods and their sycophantic fanatics.
pasile: Assertion is something for which you provide no factual basis. A derogatory group term is at best, racist, and at worst, hate speech. Hate speech is illegal under the constitution.
“She is hardening the radicals within the ANC, and when we begin to confront her privillaged (assertion) lilly white (derogatory group term) constituency will hope they had stopped her whilst she was misbehaving (assertion) and being beligerent! Some of us are starting to realse that this nonsense of rainbow nation means we must tolerate our former protester’s attacks (our former “protester’s”? What do you mean? Who do you mean when you use the word “our” How do you consider these “attacks”?). Well, no more.”
Frankly, I believe you have just threatened sedition or genocide.
I am so tired of all this back and forthing, he said-she said, they did-they didnt nonsense.
I am done.
Going to instead focus on results and see who DOES what and not who SAYS what.
Siphiwo, I will still be keeping an eye on you however..just to make sure those blinkers of yours are nice n open.
I don’t agree with “South Africa” that Zille is rejecting every opportunuity to work towards a better South Africa- she is doing exactly that by focusing on cleaning up the mess that the ANC left in the W Cape. With the ANC’s shocking record of poor management in almost all of the Government departments (is there one that is not in a mess?)she certainly does not intend to ‘fall in line’ with what the ANC does.
Traps, maybe you can refresh my mind: What is the criminal charge that can be levied against someone, if they willfully infect someone with the HIV virus again?
TRAPS - I agree on one point.
Zille makes bad choices about strategy.
She is knee deep in the trap of -
“Attack is the best method of defence.”
Problem : She acts “hysterical female !”
(The curse of being female in a man’s world !)
I voted DA so I will criticise !
WHAT IS THE WAR - not the present battle ?
1. ZUMA played victim.
His attack dogs as defence.
VOTERS defended the underdog.
The Chameleon hides - remains - eye on
PRESIDENCY,
ZUMA won battle,
WHAT : (Is wrong - DA voters cringing)
2. Can you win hearts & minds with bullets against a Fortress with a Platoon ? NO!
WHY: “yapping” Terrier against Lions.
HOW: (to go forward, prove DA delivers.)
Elections are over.
3. When a plan fails, revise strategy for new
“adjusted action.”
4. How to work towards next election?
DO not lose focus of your END GOAL.
Increase voter base. Focus on delivery ONLY.
5. Get good advisers and LISTEN to their advice. The only act and do not react in kind.
The WHO, WHEN and WHERE choices
- will determine - WHY she will increase her voter base in 2014 !
She needs to think like a man, act like a lady and prove that females are better at getting work done !
WP needs strong, ethical leadership without emotions.
Good luck to Helen.
She got what she wanted.
Now justify my vote !.
Old, female, paleface on May 27th, 2009 at 8:36 am
@ Traps
Her’s is a stunt to take away the good things done by President Jacob Zuma. A very good cabinet and well commended intentions from the President in every aspect so far!
Yet Zille is unshaken, what is the toughness for?This behaviour will haunt DA in the future, merely leading a province leaves Mrs Zille very excited imagine if for a moment the W.Cape was the Republic?
On another point, Traps and the other ANC lackeys posting here, appear to take the view that opposition parties must work hand in glove with the government for the “sake of the nation”, blahdiblah.
The ANC has shown itself to be corrupt, incompetent, intolerant, and obsessed with race and power. It has provided SA with a poor excuse of a government and it will simply get worse under Zuma and his cronies.
Zuma simply wants to co-opt the DA in the same way that the ANC has co-opted the NP and the FF. He wishes the DA to become yet another poodle on the leash of the ANC.
It is the ANC which is practising racial politics, not the DA. The DA stands for competence and accountability in politics - concepts which are utterly alien to the ANC.
The ANC and its mindless supporters simply have no conception what opposition politics is about. The sad fact is that true democracy in SA is ultimately doomed.
give me a break. if anyone spurned zuma’s ‘olive branch’ (which is so obviously transparent to any clear-thinking citizen) it is those anc members who decided to attack zille’s cabinet choice.
traps, you fail to consider the context of zille’s comments, and in so doing betray your agenda. i can’t read this article in any way other than anc propoganda.
zille is right to confront the anc on principle. and when attacked (often misogynistically), she is right to stand her ground. i would expect nothing less of her as opposition leader.
i respect the anc in many ways. but to portray the fractious relationship as the fault of zille alone is to distort the facts. articles like this are unfounded, misleading and journalistically irresponsible.
And finally, I fail to see what all this fuss about Zille’s cabinet is about.
SA is obsessed with demographic window-dressing, in which gender and race are way more important than good old fashioned competence.
Competence should be the only factor to be considered - race and gender should not come into it. If the most competent person for a particular post happens to be a pale male, so be it.
Olive branch??? Signing away 1,000 hectares of prime Cape land for free to Central Govt the day before elections certainly does not sound like WORKING TOGETHER to me. The “gender” protest is also overrated. ANC will try every means to sabotage the Province as they tried in the past to sink the City.
“a majority that is largely illiterate, possibly very racist and doesn’t have the vaguest idea of what a properly constituted democracy is?”
I rest my case!!! How can you accuse and insult the majority of South Africans of not knowing democracy, being illiterate and racist? What a contradiction!!You are a ‘democrat’ who is opposed to the majority!!!
We have been to your version of democracy wherein the minority knows everything and are the only literate people. Supremacy and superiority complex is the seed of prejudice and discrimination. If you are supreme, someone has to be inferior. You become scary when in your world the majority is inferior.
Hitler started by convincing himself that his aryan race was superior. He then defined the Jews as inferior and the haulocost followed. Verwoerd also thought that the majority South Africans were inferior and democracy was not for them. He was the architect of aparthed.
Please do not follow on the footsteps of your Hitler and Verwoerd as your idols. Mandela is a better idol to follow.
Zille should try to behave like a mature leader and engage the president in the same way that he engages with her. She is showing utter disrespect for the President of our country by hurling puerile insults at him in public forums.
Zilles only mistake so far is voicing opinions herself while JZ voices them via the ANCYL et al. She needs to distance herself from the fight - too bad there are no Malema-like people acting as DA spokespersons…
Gus and Siobhan
You are the reason black people want never to vote in another white government in this country. Unlike you I don’t see myself as a superior being because of my colour. I don’t feel threatened by a black government and I understand why black people vote overwhelmingly ANC. For them there is progress which was never there during successive National Party white governments. Drive along the countryside and see VIP toilets everywhere, electricty where none existed before 1994. Housing projects in most townships. If Zille understands these things, then she may have a second bite in 2014, but simply sittin in the high pedestal will be a DA undoing.
At the risk of being labelled an ANC apologist, let me warn that of the two parties (DA;ANC),the ANC is the oldest and most streetwise and I don’t see the DA winning on the turf Zille has chosen.
Siobhan please check your facts on who drew the first blood before pressing that button. Not doing so kills an otherwise sensible contribution to Traps’ debate.
On the radio this morning we had Booi saying that the War Vets were going to march until Helen “said she loved Zuma”. Then they got Helen on the line and asked her what she was going to do, and she replied that she was going to work, because she had lots of work to do, and they could “dance on the sidelines for as long as they liked”.
Later in the day they contacted her again, and she pointed out that among other things thay had said about her was she was sexist, and tough luck if she told them what sexist was and they did not like it that she had the right of reply. In the meanwhile she would be tackling the real issues of sexism like fathers who don’t pay maintenance.
Helen is the one always in the news now, not Malema, and what she has to say is witty and interesting, instead of Malema and Buti’s purile insults.
She is running rings around them - and she has not even started yet.
Let’s see what Zille has to say before we decide if she should have waited for Zuma to speak first. Most of us here in the Western Cape are fairly tired of waiting for the ANC to deliver, as the country may have noticed as the election results trickled in last month.
I didn’t like the way she attacked Zuma to pick a fight that was better left unfought - rehashing yesterday’s lunch - but making nice is not Helen’s way. Those who know the Black Sash will remember what those women were like - Helen’s a turtledove compared to some of them, back in the day. And thank God they were brave enough to be that kind of person!
Anyway, if she’s breaking protocol, so be it. It’s not in the Constitution. I didn’t vote for the “protocol”, it’s not my protocol and it’s not the DA’s. If Zuma had stuck to the original schedule the problem would not arise.
So, let’s wait for the speech. Personally I couldn’t care less when HZ delivers it, as long as it contains specific, achievable, measurable delivery goals and make specific people accountable for delivery with deadlines applicable. Same goes for the President’s speech.
I’ll tell you what I’m getting tired of. Calling Helen Zille a racist (erm, Bongo..?). For heaven’s sake - give it a rest! I find it just ever so slightly contradictory that we can’t criticise Zuma (the showering thing; having dodgy mates), but it’s perfectly acceptable to call Zille a racist. I don’t get it.
(And I really do not want someone to post a long, pointless explanation on why she’s a racist, because we’ve seen that all before. It was a load of old bollocks then and it’s a load of old bollocks now!!)
Politicians in South Africa are so immature, and so are the public! Zuma’s president okay…get over it, for goodness sakes and as they say move on. Nobody said you have to like it. But if you believe in democracy, then accept it otherwise you are just another supremest pig…which I’m sure you not! One does not find solutions arguing and bickering over spilled milk. We have to figure out who is going to be bold enough, to swallow their pride and clean up the mess. Identify the problems at grassroots and address each one of them positively in an organised and systematic way and when you experience a problem, use ALL your political might to implement your solution. Grow up! You’re behaving worse then kindegarden kids!
Zille is not the President of this country and Western Cape is not independent. She still have to report to Zuma. You guys are just giving her too much credit.
It seems to me that the ANC is playing “good cop, bad cop” strategy on the DA. Only time will tell if HZ’s response is right. I think that she could hold her fort if she keeps her trusted people to deliver while she takes it as good as it comes. She will do well if she fights on both fronts, delivering whilst she keeps fighting. I think HZ knows what she is doing. Isn’t this plain politicking?
I think that reasoned debate is compulsory in a democracy. So was Helen reasoned in her argument? I would say yes. Everything she said was true. He is the president and hence his personality affects all South Africans. So as the opposition she has a right, or perhaps even a responsibility to highlight shortcomings. And I think every point where they disagree needs to be highlighted, not only certain “picked” fights that, I don’t know, are only designed to win voters and appease.
I suppose we’re coming off a fairly low base in Africa, but personally I think that President Zuma has struck the right note and proven himself to be a mature politician and a mature person.
Think of how Pres Mbeki, or Uncle Bob, or virtually any African leader you might care to name, would respond to someone who’s made a personal attack as Zille did on Zuma; even - or especially - if that attack was justified. Pres Zuma has shown that whatever else he might be, he is not a spiteful or petty man and for that he has my respect.
BTW, it is not my understanding of the Constitution that Pres Zuma is Premier Zille’s “boss” or that she is “answerable” to him. They are both answerable to the voters who appointed them. The National Government could, if it chose, make it difficult for the DA to govern here but only at the expense of people who desperately need State help and support.
Julius Malema’s recent comments, as with most of his public remarks, show a low level of morality. It’s clear that he cares nothing for the young black people he wishes would “flood” the Western Cape - who would be homeless and jobless here as well as far from their families. To him, they are not human beings or people of dignity but a “black flood”. That puts him right in the same camp as the architects of grand apartheid.
Helen started the fight unprovoked. Insulted Zuma and his wives. Then drew the ire of Malema and others. Who know and walow in gutter politics like her. Zuma never uttered a word against Helen.
Now it is only if you are white and South African that you insult a man who keeps his peace and gives you a warm welcome and you spurn the overture. Politics is not about personal insults but is about issues.
What olive branch are we talking about when Zuma never insulted Helen in the first place?
If anything it has reinforced my prejudice that Helen Zille is generally anti-social and very poor at human relations
As for the Western Cape Boerestaat, go read Chapter 3 sec 40 &41 of the constitution; it proves the point that Helen does not even know her constitution! There is no need to beg Helen about something that is enshrined in the constitution.
It may appear as a clever ploy at publicity, but Helen has really destroyed a huge chunk racial goodwill in South Africa. It shows her gross misunderstanding of the culture shared by 80% of South Africans. Malema is not us, he is single an aberation of his party. You cant generalise all black people by him. But Helen has really damaged whatever goodwill she enjoyed among black South Africans.
She could have let her achievements talk for her instead of wallowing in gutter-speak and insult-trading!
That he would “flood the Western Cape” with blacks from the Eastern Cape “to dissapoint Zille”
“she is an enemy of the revolution….she is a racist and will remain a racist. She has a racist agenda of making the Western Cape a province for whites only”
The MKMVA said they were going to make the Cape “ungovernable” and Helen was was “suspected of being a lesbian …and Dutch” (Dyke?)
On top of the “boyfriend and concubines” comment, and caalling her “sexist”.
And you REALLY find none of that provocative?
And what is “suspicious” about lesbians to the gender equality Alliance?
Lyndall -
The WP should prepare for a migration south of white Gauties to settle there.
Today the woman in charge up here - says they
“intend to include urban areas in land transformation.” Tomorrow a further announcement of the “plan” will be made. Pomp and ceremony to accompany it no doubt.
Homeowners can be offered R1 and are compelled to “sell to ANC” ie. means “give” free and gratis for ANC Cronies.
How will she run her kingdom without the hefty rates and taxes paid by the departing money crowd?
One word is enough - SAZIM is about to be launched.
ANC is committing its own financial suicide with such an Act.
As usual, Afriforum will take up the cudgels.
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But they may well thrill at the Leader of the Official Opposition really dictating a cracking pace and leaving the President to find his dim way forward choked in her dust.
No harm in that?
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