The whole truth — Trollip
Xolisa Phillip set out a case that my “hard-nosed” attitude risks losing partners (Hard-nosed mayor Athol Trollip risks losing partners, September 20). To reinforce her opinion, she makes reference to two incidents and proceeds to present half of the facts at best or, at worst, half-truths to characterise me as being unduly “hard nosed”.
Politics is no arena for shrinking violets, and as the country has witnessed of late, the more entrenched parties and individuals become, the more determination is required to expose and dislodge the entrenched. Having spent 22 years on the opposition benches in a province where the ANC is arrogantly entrenched, I had to have the courage of my convictions.
As for my having to apologise to Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle, the actual records show that there was no apology for asking why a large sum of money was paid into his personal bank account at the time of former president Nelson Mandela’s funeral. The premier had taken exception to my questions in this regard and said I’d called him a, “liar and a cheat”. I also said my original questions were amended and edited to protect the premier.
I was suspended for two weeks and fined a month’s salary. I contested this in court and the legislature/premier settled out of court and carried my and their costs. My apology had nothing to do with something I never said, it read as follows, as per the Hansard records of the legislature: “I, Roland Athol Trollip, as leader of the opposition, state that I never said or implied that the premier had anything to do with the changing or sanitisation of the opposition’s question that was submitted for his attention and response. I apologise for any misunderstanding or embarrassment that might have been caused in this regard.”
The questions about why the money was paid into his personal account, if it contravened any regulations and what steps would be taken against the person responsible for this transaction remain unanswered and I have never apologised for asking them. For Phillip to say that “the fallout was contained before it could do any serious damage to Trollip, but its record remains” is therefore disingenuous.
I went to court to defend my rights and reputation, the state/legislature/premier’s legal teams contested the matter but settled on the day the matter was due to be heard in court. I would venture that the fallout was contained before it could do any more serious damage to Masualle, not myself.
Lastly, my track record in my political party also shows that I don’t back down on issues of principle but I am able to see the big picture and do not put my interests above all else.
Athol Trollip
Mayor, Nelson Mandela Bay