De Lille issue may lose votes for DA
One would expect that due to the shenanigans of the ANC during the past few months, the DA would have an easier passage to the election next year, but not so.
The DA has rather dropped the ball and diminished its chances.
The problems in Port Elizabeth may be sorted out before too much more damage has been done. The situation in Cape Town, however, is far more complicated and will take a huge effort to sort out.
The problem with Patricia De Lille could have been solved without difficulty immediately it first manifested itself. It may now be too late.
De Lille has been active on TV and been given all the publicity she craved.
She has claimed that the torment she has been subjected to by the DA during the last year has been almost lifethreatening.
She brags about the three court cases she has won against the DA, claiming all the time that she is innocent of all the trumped-up charges.
These are charges which she claims have never been formally presented, and which she has begged to be allowed to argue and defend in an open court with the public’s participation. Why was this not done? She was allowed to continue claiming that the DA was racist and, in fact, stupid.
On TV she proudly announced the formation of her new party.
She gleefully warned the public that the DA would no doubt come at her with, as she termed, “dirty tricks”.
There are no prizes for guessing what the perception among the voters is likely to be.
Where has the leadership been, why have no statements been publicly made refuting her allegations and placing the truth in the public domain? You can be certain that all the votes she may receive will be drawn from the DA and not the ANC.
I have heard that the senior DA management do not consider De Lille to be a serious problem. It may live to regret this attitude.
Fortunately five months in politics is a long time and there is time to rectify the situation.
The Zondo commission has given the DA a lifeline.
There has been huge corruption exposed and we are only a few weeks into the process. The ANC has been shown up as utterly corrupt, in spite of its repeated denials it is actually not on trial.
Come on. The president and all his cabinet cannot be allowed to escape censure, they were all there, part of the problem and knew exactly what was going on.
Cyril Ramaphosa cannot be allowed to continue hiding the truth.
There has been an obvious attempt by coloured communities, spread throughout the country, to form an alliance to fight the government, in particular concerning the lack of control of crime.
The impression gained is that they may not continue to support the ANC.
The DA must take careful note of this.
It may be different in the Western Province, where the De Lille situation may have a profound effect.
Trevor Bradfield
Walmer Heights, Port Elizabeth