Years ago as an official in the provincial government I heard a senior DA appointed official state that while the DA may argue for democracy; this does not imply that the DA practices democracy.
At that time I did not know what those words meant until now. The recent advert where the DA urges voters not to vote for small parties is the tip of the iceberg and explains much. The DA in truth while it speaks much of multiparty democracy and the constitution pays lips serves to both just like the ANC. Sadly, when the constitution or democracy does not fit in with the ANC or DA they side step both.
If the DA is so secure about an election victory in the City of Cape Town why is it spending millions on urging voters not to practice their constitutional right to vote for the party of their choice? Where are the principles regarding freedom of choice? Does democracy only work when it is in the DA’s favour?
For example, over the past two months the Cape Muslim Congress (CMC) has spent a great deal of hard earned money on hanging up more than 1000 posters. Most CMC posters which were purposely hung above the ANC and DA posters have been removed. Most posters in and around the Mosques in Bokaap, Kenwyn, Mitchells Plain etc are gone. Many were removed the next day after hanging.
Since the wind and rain cannot be blamed as the removal was over one night, it is obvious that the posters were intentionally and quickly removed at night. Even if some posters were damaged by the wind or rain, where did the posters completely disappear too? Not even fragments are available?
Logic suggests that either the DA or ANC posters teams are removing the CMC posters as the other small parties do not have a substantial poster presents and the EFF does not operate in the suburbs where the CMC posters are hung.
While the IEC encourages political parties to report the matter to SAPS, what is the point, the damage has been done?
Voters must know that a multiparty democracy cannot exist with only two parties and the small parties are important to keep the ANC and DA arrogance and self-conceit under control. Small parties have small budgets and big parties have big budgets. Nobody knows where the DA and ANC campaign money is coming from? Be afraid of what can happen next?
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress