Cape Argus

What will premier Alan Winde do about ‘Degree Gate’?

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OUR PREMIER, through no real fault of his own, has a tough decision to make. What to do about Degree Gate?

He suspended Bonginkosi Madikizela for allegedly spicing up his CV. Most applauded; I didn’t.

I could not, because in my heart I knew the DA would not do the same if the transgress­or was of a lighter hue.

If you doubt this, ask why Anton Bredell is still in a job? He is, after all, accused of doing much worse. And he’s not the only one. Tertuis Simmers was accused of doing the same, and miraculous­ly “fake” profiles were deleted to cover up credential­s that had been posted.

The only reason Simmers isn’t kicking his heels at home is that Natasha Mazzone, chief whip of the governing party of the province, belongs to the same WhatsApp group.

As if not suspending her isn’t blatant enough, John Steenhuise­n has gone out to bat for her.

This is the racist extreme that permeates through every DA orifice. White Über Alles. Allan Winde is damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.

But we need to be clear: if Mazzone isn’t given the exact treatment Madikizela received, we will propagate this as the DA official stance – that it is willing to sell all of its much vaunted equal opportunit­y on the altar of white supremacy.

That Simmers’ proximity to Donald Grant is a greater achievemen­t than the alleged BCom he denies he faked.

We have to understand that this trio are innocent until proven guilty.

That no court has found them guilty.

Yet, some appear to be more innocent than others.

I do not believe that relieving a man of his capacity to work based on his pigmentati­on is justifiabl­e. No matter the colour.

This is a challenge to our premier: reinstate Mr Madikizela, or fire the whole lot.

FADIEL ADAMS | President Cape Coloured

Congress

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