Crunching the racial numbers
Dee Hollely, Knysna Heights:
In the article headed Anger over DA councillor's axing in the KPH on 11th February it was claimed by the Knysna United Organisation and the Good Party that the DA wants to make Knysna a
"white town". It appears they missed the following facts: Firstly, Donovan Pofadder RESIGNED as a councillor as stated in the KPH on 17 October 2020.
Secondly, the removal of both (white) Councillors Peter Myers and Mark Willemse was an issue fought long and hard by the DA.
In the end, Mark Willemse's membership was cancelled by the DA and Peter Myers resigned.
Just another thought - when the ACDP replaced Shakespeare Arendse with Ian
Uys, was there any reference to the race card being played then?
I write this letter in my private capacity, as a concerned resident of Knysna.
Ralph Stander of Knysna United responds: The DA's history and track record speaks for itself and it has removed almost all black leaders in their party and have replaced them with whites. They have removed almost all black mayors and have replaced them with whites.
1. Councillor Pofadder resigned because he could no longer take the DA racism and abuse. He has made several public statements about it. The best on this would be to hear what Donovan has to say.
2. Mark Willemse and Peter Meyers have nothing to do with this matter. Knysna United are on record that we have no confidence in them and that they have never represented Hornlee and other black areas. We however respect them for standing up against the DA.
3. The ACDP doesn't have the same record of racism as the DA.
We are looking forward to a huge DA loss in the upcoming Ward 11 by-election. It's time the Coloured community show the DA they are sick and tired of DA "baasskap".
It's important to note Knysna United stands for non-racism and will make its voice heard when it comes to racism, especially on a local level. Our society is too polarised as it is and we all need to become bridge builders. Knysna United will work with anyone or group who are interested in building bridges and who want to bring communities together.
John Pienkies Williams of the Good Party responds:
GOOD and some of its leaders have firsthand experienced DA racism. The whole country knows how they have treated Patricia de Lille when she was in the DA and Mayor of Cape Town. Others who felt the racism arm of the law are Lindiwe Mazibuko, Mmusi Maimane, Solly Msimanga to mention a few. We are not even mentioning all the black mayors and councillors that have been fired by the DA in the last year.
The DA is very active and clear on its campaign "To fight back / blacks".
So yes, the DA wants to make Knysna white again. They will use black leaders and spit them out once they want to stand up for their communities and once they refuse to be puppets of the master.
Donovan Pofadder made it clear he resigned because of DA racism. Peter Meyers and Mark Willimse have never represented black people and their issue has nothing to do with the racism issue we have raised. We are sure if they were in the DA it wouldn't be any different.
GOOD is looking forward to the by-election in Ward 11 to show the DA what GOOD and the fed-up Coloured community of Hornlee will do to them. We will teach them a lesson for all South Africans to see and that's that racism won't be tolerated anymore. GOOD believes in a South Africa where everyone is free and equal and respected, no matter where they are coming from or where they live.