Proposed fund-raising pay cut raises concerns
THE DA’s new Eastern Cape leadership will have to decide on a proposal for public representatives to contribute more money towards raising funds for the party.
Currently, each MP, MPL and councillor of the DA is charged a 5% tide fee from their salaries.
The money goes towards the operations of the party.
A DA councillor from the Dr Beyers Naude Municipality, Eldridge Ruiters, proposed that the tide fee be increased to 6%, with the added 1% going towards growing and strengthening the party’s women and youth structures.
Ruiters’s motion, tabled at the provincial congress on Saturday, was, however, not approved.
It was referred to the provincial executive for further investigation and discussion.
The motion, which was seconded by councillor Rudy Jacobs, reads: “It is the policy and vision of our party to provide an open, opportunity society for all.
“Part of this is to ensure that structure and projects have the means, resources and funding to make vision 2019 possible.
“Yearly, and especially election years, our branches and campaigns have a lot of financial strain due to unemployment, poverty and lack of fundraising.”
DA caucus leader at the Dr Beyers Naude Municipality, Samantha Jankovich, said there were concerns from delegates at the congress that it would add strain on the finances of their public representatives.