Polar-opposite parties

SIR — Recent statements that the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) policies are a “carbon copy” of the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) could not be further from the truth.

The DA’s brand is rooted in freedom, fairness and opportunity, underpinned by the concept of an open opportunity society for all. The ANC has a severely damaged brand that projects a culture of closed cronyism and jobs for friends and family.

In communities all over Tshwane, and all over SA for that matter, the DA has received reports from non-ANC members that they are turned away from those jobs because they are not card-carrying members of the ANC.

Further to this, it is vital to note that the ANC does not own the concept of black economic empowerment (BEE). In fact, under the ANC, we have become the most unequal society in the world.

The ANC’s version of BEE has connected ANC fat cats to lucrative government contracts, while those best suited to do the job are disregarded.

Yet in Tshwane contractors are often not paid on time and the lack of key maintenance is causing service delivery issues. The ANC cannot even get the basics right, whereas where the DA governs, we do so from a basis of sound financial management that brings key deliverables to all.

The DA is set on cutting corruption, creating jobs and delivering better services — Tshwane mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa recently celebrated that his administration had “only” wasted R1.5bn.

The DA is nothing like the ANC. Michael Shackleton DA councillor, Tshwane Metro