‘Tainted’ by R12bn saga but DA punts Williams for post
THE DA has indicated that it will continue to push for its Tshwane mayoral candidate, Randal Williams, to be appointed to the post, despite accusations that he was tainted by wrongdoing relating to the controversial Glad Africa tender in the City.
The R12 billion tender scandal related to the controversial contract which the city entered into irregularly with GladAfrica, and which has since been cancelled but not before costing the municipality around R500 000.
Williams is expected to take over from outgoing mayor Stevens Mokgalapa who is leaving his post this week after been placed on special leave by the party, following a leaked recording of him and former transport MMC
Sheila Senkubuge allegedly having sex in an office.
Briefing the media on the outcomes of the party’s federal executive (fedex) meeting yesterday, the DA’s interim leader John Steenhuisen said the ANC had to open a case against Williams, if they had proof against him.
“According to us, Randal Williams is an excellent person. He is not tainted by anything. No one has charged him, and no one has laid a complaint against him. We believe he will serve the people of Tshwane well,” Steenhuisen said.
Willams was MMC for economic development and spatial planning between 2016 and 2019.
“We believe Williams is an excellent mayoral candidate, who stands ready to continue the DA-led coalition programme of progress and delivery made in the City,” Steenhuisen said.
The fedex indicated that preparations were on track for the much anticipated policy and special elective conferences, which are expected to play a defining role in the party’s direction in terms of its stance on issues of diversity, which has divided the party.
Federal chairperson Ivan Meyer said the fedex had resolved on distributing a framework document on the DA’s values and principles this week to its members, as they prepare for the policy conference, which is set to take place in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, on April 4 and 5.
Meyer said the party would hold its special elective congress on May 30 and 31, where the position of party leader is to be tightly contested between Steenhuisen, Gauteng leader John Moodey, and former DA Youth leader Mbali Ntuli.
“This will be a hotly contested election, and we have also issued the DA standard of conduct for internal elections, which outlines the rules of our engagement. This document clearly stipulates that the party accepts that campaigning for offices might be robust, but it expects campaigns to be conducted in a way of which is in the best interests of the party,” Meyer said.
Today, Moodey is set to launch his own election campaign for the position of federal leader in Johannesburg, in which he plans to offer a “workable alternative” to that of other contenders. Moodey enjoyed close ties with Mmusi Maimane before he left the party, accusing it of being against redress.
Meyer said all the top posts in the DA would be contested.