So Many Questions

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has been grappling with an unpopular logo and chaos in the city centre. Chris Barron asked her . . .

Does the tidal wave of protest against the logo make you think you might have got it wrong?

No, I did not get it wrong, because a full council in June 2012 mandated us to start a process of alignment of the city’s branding to the city’s new message.

Why did the council decide a new logo was necessary?

After we came into power in June 2011, we had an extensive public consultation process of more than two million people . . .

About what?

About an integrated development plan for the city.

Not about the logo?

The integrated development plan deals with the content of what is the city all about. The council must now ensure that the visual identity matches the strategic direction.

How does the new logo match the strategic direction?

We had to ask what do we expect from this new logo? We want to build a city where working together, being partners and having a shared responsibility . . . the inclusive city that we have been talking about . . .

It seems there is nothing inclusive about the logo.

Well, that is your opinion. We have only done what we were expected to do through a council resolution.

What did you do to test public opinion?

The agency we engaged tested in their production — you know, these things are done scientifically, these people are trained brand specialists. They know what they are doing.

They seem to have got it badly wrong?

That is your opinion again.

Have you not been following the public outcry?

That is what you read in the papers. On social media, there was a poll where we had more than 70% of the people agreeing with it.

Why did you not conduct a poll before choosing the logo?

That is not how it works.

Why not?

Because, as I have told you, when we developed the integrated plan, at that stage we had extensive public participation.

Should there not have been public participation about the logo?

Many good logos are very symbolic and the meaning might not be apparent at face value.

Who cares about the meaning if nobody likes the look?

It is anecdotal that you come to that conclusion.

Why not publish different logos and invite the public to vote?

We have developed an integrated

development plan . . .

You are repeating yourself.

I must repeat it because you keep on asking the same question differently. We have elected public representatives in the council who agreed in 2012 that we have to go forward to match the city’s visual identity to the integrated development plan.

Cape Town’s visual identity is Table Mountain, but I struggle to see it.

If you look carefully, the pattern rings of the new logo consist of repeating images of Table Mountain.

How carefully should one have to look?

I can just say that you know and I know that you will never be able to please everyone.

If you had had a vote, would you not at least have been able to please the majority?

Then we are accused of wasting money for having a referendum. And there is a law about what you can use a referendum for.

Should Table Mountain not scream out at you from the logo?

This is not just about the look of the logo . . .

Surely, it is all about the look if you want to attract tourists?

People will come to Cape Town with or without this logo.

So why bother with a logo at all?

If you look carefully . . .

Why were the service delivery protesters denied permission to march?

The police decided, on the basis of what happened last time . . .

Was the previous march legal?

The last one that ended in rioting was definitely a legal march.

What about the chaos in the council chamber?

It was a waste of time, and a waste of time is a waste of money. All the papers that the ANC threw on the floor . . .

Why weren’t they ejected?

Every time the speaker asked that they be removed, they asked for a caucus and then they go out and delay the council for another hour or half-hour. What was clear is that the ANC has a strategy to make the city and province ungovernable, and they brought that strategy into council.

It seems to be working.

They were dancing with paper AK47s and singing war songs.

So both inside and outside the chamber, would it be fair to say they did make the city ungovernable?

We have footage of the behaviour of all those ANC councillors. They have violated the code of conduct and will be called to book.