FF+ candidate under fire for flea market jibe
The Promenade is used by Capetonians from all corners of our diverse city, regardless of their background, race, religion, economic position and regardless of where they live
NICOLA JOWELL Sea Point ward councillor
ANOTHER Freedom Front Plus candidate has come under fire for statements he allegedly made while opposing a flea market in Sea Point where township vendors were allowed to sell their products.
A Facebook post, said to have been uploaded last year, has come back to haunt Gary Trappler, who is now the FF+ candidate for Ward 115.
Trappler is quoted as having allegedly said: “Generally speaking, a fruit and veggie flea market is not what residents of the area want to see or experience on the Promenade. This NPO pushes their social agenda on us to provoke and be controversial.
“But they care less about what we want and they gloat in their aspirations to change the social character of the Atlantic Seaboard. If we want Gugulethu, we’ll go to Gugulethu – we know where to find it.”
Trappler claimed he did not recall the post when approached for comment yesterday, said there were people trying to trash him and show him to be a “racist”.
“That is hurtful because it’s so not true. I help others, irrespective of their social or financial standing. As for Gugulethu, I have nothing against the place; in fact, I have friends there and I teach students martial arts at the Gugulethu community town centre.
“If I recall, this particular flea market was organised by Souper Troopers and others, and was done to drum up support for Peter Waggenaar’s Beach Road feeding schemes last year.
“I’m anti anything they support, which includes feeding the homeless in our area. They’ve litigated against me personally and lost, and my knee jerk reaction is to say ‘no’ to anything they do or want. That’s a safe rule of thumb for me,” he said.
Trappler, a practising lawyer, said he was standing as a candidate to ensure the upliftment of those living on the street and to ensure the DA accepts responsibility over the housing crisis in the city.
Sea Point ward councillor Nicola Jowell said the event was aimed at aiding and assisting entrepreneurs of small businesses to be able to provide for their families. “It is alarming to note that a resident has made such an exclusionary comment and essentially objected to the use of the Promenade for this activity, and, most importantly, that people from outside of Sea Point should not be here.
“The Promenade is used by Capetonians from all corners of our diverse city, regardless of their background, race, religion, economic position and regardless of where they live, and this should be encouraged. It is worrying that a member of the community has made people feel unwelcome because they come from Gugulethu. It’s not a position that should be condoned.”
This comes after another FF+ candidate in Sea Point, Paul Jacobson, rubbished claims that he was part of a group that wanted to drive homeless people out of the affluent area.
Sea Point resident Alfred Marino said this was not the behaviour they wanted from people representing the Atlantic Seaboard in local government.
“By the looks of the numerous statements they made, they have no respect for women, black people, Muslims or anyone who is poor.
“When you take those groups out of the equation, whose interests do you think they will be looking after?” Marino asked.