Ex-DA councillors all respected in wards

A LOT has been said in the media in recent weeks with regard to the DA councillors who defected to the ANC, those who have chosen to stand as independent candidates in the upcoming local government elections and, of course, the well-respected, highly competent mayor, Danny Jordaan.

The councillors in order of defection are NMB councillors Knight Mali, Mzukisi Ncamani, Bahle Ngqondela, Nico du Plessis, Penny Naidoo, Brian Kivido and Isaac Adams, and Isabelle Wagenaar (Sundays River Valley).

My sobering observation is that they are all black or coloured and have been vocal about racism within the DA. Alas, that’s not all these long-standing, now ex-members of the DA have in common.

These individuals are long-serving leaders of stature in their respective communities who have been at the forefront of service delivery and improving the lives of members of their communities long before being elected as councillors and will be long after. It’s in their nature, whether they are in the DA, ANC or FF+.

The DA, true to its style, spearheaded by none other than Athol Trollip, has made all kinds of insulting accusations against these councillors. They have grown the DA outside its core electorate, especially in the northern areas and townships.

There have been many controversies rocking the DA in recent months which bear testimony of the leadership of Trollip such as “Letters expose rifts” (October 8 last year), “DA top brass in PE for talks as senior leaders clash” (Weekend Post, April 2), “Mvenya’s decision to resign stuns DA” (May 19), and “Triple shock for DA leader Trollip” (June 3).

I could probably go on forever, not to mention what in my view is blatant abuse of personal tragedy for cheap political points such as “Herald photo lands Trollip in hot water” (October 22 last year), Trollip visiting the parents of a murdered toddler (“Caydene, 2, latest gang casualty”, December 14) and the recent transgressions where instead of providing meaningful assistance he provided a photo opportunity.

There is a clear contrast in the leadership and focuses of Trollip and Jordaan, as explained in “Jordaan just focuses on the job at hand” (June 21). Jordaan has shown he is a man who can deliver, by all he has achieved in just more than a year.

One cannot help but get excited for the next five golden years. The DA and Trollip, on the other hand, have based their campaign on petty personal attacks on President Jacob Zuma, Jordaan and the ex-DA councillors, but have made no meaningful contribution to the betterment of this city.

Roland Jordaan, Youth for Danny Jordaan #Y4DJ, Wells Estate, Port Elizabeth