Mmusi ‘hijacking crisis’
DA leader’s arrival on scene criticised as desperate bid to score political points
DA LEADER Mmusi Maimane has been accused of hijacking the water crisis in the Western Cape because of his planned water meeting in the city today.
The City’s opposition parties, who have labelled him “desperate”, say a stronger focus needs to be placed on the water crisis instead of gathering DA politicians to discuss the crisis, which has already dominated debates.
Mabine Seabe, DA communications director, however, said Maimane was not on a political roadshow.
“This is merely a meeting of the mayors and premier of the Western Cape who is in government via the DA. We need to inform people of the crisis and give them all the information needed. There is a large number of people who are not informed of this,” Seabe said.
The planned engagement comes amid the political tensions in the DA’s Cape Town caucus and several investigations involving Mayor Patricia de Lille, who was stripped of her powers relating to the water crisis.
Asked if Maimane was playing politics with the crisis, Seabe said: “These are unprecedented times. We are not calling officials to come and account for the crisis. The politicians will have to answer to this and give all the information.”
Seabe said the plan was to reach more people, not to undermine the City.
“Our only hope is to reach more and more people. It is known that much more can be done, we are going with this programme to reach more people of the Western Cape. Unfortunately this is not about the DA. This should not become a vote-winning competition. The leader will also not be addressing the officials but the politicians from our party.”
ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said Maimane’s actions were indicative of the DA’s desperation.
“The DA is using the state machinery to achieve a certain political agenda. Mmusi is not a public representative of the Western Cape or the City. He has no right to speak on the water crisis. This is a matter purely for the government of the day. They clearly do not know the difference between the party and state,” Jacobs said.
Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos said Maimane had no right to interfere as he held no position in government.
“If he wants to have a talk show, he can certainly do that. But he cannot instruct officials, because he is not in government.
That is for the mayor and the premier to do. There is a fine line between party and state because in our system the party gives the mandate for those in government. If only a particular party does oversight, then that has nothing to do with constitutional accountability,” De Vos said.
ACDP’s Ferlon Christians said his party welcomed the announcement, but felt Zille should be making such initiatives.
“She (Zille) has the constitutional mandate to manage provincial disasters. This is then a clear case of the DA blurring the role of party and state, and neither Premier Zille nor deputy mayor (Ian) Nielson should allow it. Of course he is welcome to ask that such initiatives be pursued, and to monitor the performance of his political representatives.
“But in announcing this initiative of his, he suggests he doubts their ability to effectively perform their functions. And that inspires more public doubt in the premier and the City,” Christians said. Neither Zille nor her spokesperson Michael Mpofu replied to a request for comment.