Zelda Jongbloed: Top journalist who practised politics her own way 1950-2018
Illustrious career in media followed by stint as a DA parliamentarian
● Zelda Jongbloed, who has died in Cape Town at the age of 67, brought the qualities that made her a top journalist into politics when she became an MP for the DA in 2014.
She was feisty, outspoken and fearless in fighting maladministration and corruption, and put her life and career on the line for her principles.
When she saw that the Karoo constituency of Kannaland in the southern Cape, which the DA had delegated to her to oversee, was being bankrupted by maladministration and corruption, she began secret talks with the ANC.
These led to an unofficial alliance ahead of the 2016 local government elections, which unseated the incumbent Independent Civic Organisation of SA (Icosa).
An ANC mayor and DA speaker were voted in. Jongbloed hailed it as a victory for the people who had been abused by a corrupt, self-interested and unaccountable leadership for too long, she said.
She pointed to the fact that Kannaland owed R12m in unpaid bills to Eskom, which was threatening to deprive the area of electricity.
Collision course
She said this raised “serious questions” about how the Icosa-led municipality had been spending ratepayers’ money.
She also pointed out that the controversial Icosa mayor, Jeffrey Donson, had refused to participate in mandatory oversight hearings.
She said the people deserved a municipal government that would establish a job-creating environment and practise good governance.
“We will not abdicate our responsibility towards the poor and marginalised,” she said.
But the unofficial agreement she engineered with the ANC put her on a collision course with her party, which announced that the deal was unauthorised, and warned of possible disciplinary steps against those involved.
Jongbloed, who was aware from the start that her dalliance with the ANC could be a career-ending move, was unapologetic.
As long as she remained responsible for the constituency, which included Calitzdorp, Ladismith, Zoar and Van Wyksdorp, then the interests of the local community “should and will” be put above party political interests, she said.
In addition to threats from her party she had to deal with acts of physical violence and death threats as well. She laid a complaint with the police after receiving information that a Kannaland politician had hired someone to kill her.
After the incident, which happened while she was visiting voting stations, she posted on Facebook: “The onslaught has started. I’ve just been confronted and promised that I will be killed by the legal adviser of the Kannaland municipality.” She was given police protection.
After the DA/ANC alliance took over, Kannaland became one of the best-performing municipalities in the Western Cape. It paid the outstanding R12m debt to Eskom and achieved a clean audit from the auditor-general.
Jongbloed was born in Groot Brakrivier on October 3 1950.
She matriculated at George High School, and achieved a bachelor of education degree at the University of the Western Cape. After teaching for three years she returned to do a journalism degree. She began her career as a journalist in the 1970s on the Cape Herald, moved to the Eastern Province Herald and reported on events in what was then South West Africa (now Namibia) before working on Beeld, Rapport and Die Burger, where she wrote a popular consumer column and became an assistant editor.
She was one of the first journalists to interview Nelson Mandela after his release from prison.
In 2011 she retired from journalism, and began campaigning for the DA in 2012.
She joined parliament in 2014 when the DA increased its seats from 67 to 89.
She served on the portfolio committees of agriculture, forestry & fisheries and public service & administration and on the multiparty women’s caucus committee.
Jongbloed, who died of cancer, is survived by three children.