Patriotic Alliance slams ‘disrespect’ by DA over ‘political thuggery’ comment

CAPE TOWN - The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has withdrawn from its agreement with the DA-led coalition in the Knysna and Matzikama municipalities.

This comes after the party alleged that DA interim provincial leader Tertuis Simmers had described the party’s president Gayton McKenzie’s appointment as mayor of the Central Karoo District Municipality as “political thuggery”.

But Simmers has since said the remarks referred to were based on an “inaccurate” media report.

PA councillor Waleed Grootboom, who served as a mayoral committee member responsible for community services in Knysna, resigned from the position last week.

Grootboom said he resigned to defend McKenzie.

“I also come from prison and if anyone is going to use the ‘thug’ word to describe me or my organisation I am going to feel offended. PA is in a working relationship with the DA in many municipalities. Why now change and describe our victory in the Central Karoo as ‘thuggish’?

“Tertuis Simmers, a leader of the DA, making remarks like that was not on. I am a patriot and I am here to defend my party's president against dictators and enemies,“ he said.

A PA mayco member for finance and a proportional representation (PR) councillor has also resigned in the Matzikama municipality.

Simmers asserted that what he had actually said was, “what the DA have been hearing from residents of the Central Karoo District, which is yet to be confirmed, is that they observe non-democratic actions happening in their district which could not be seen as democracy in action but as political thuggery”.

“Media reports were misleading, to say the least. More so than others, politicians should equip themselves not to be fooled by hearsay and by reference to sound bites without context; not to be fooled by misrepresentation.

“I believe that in any coalition agreement there is a mechanism through which party leaders may and can address any issues affecting their public representatives brought under their attention,” he said.

PA national chairperson, Marlon Daniels claimed the councillors were “ill-treated, abused and bullied” by the DA.

“That is not the way you treat somebody whom you are in a relationship with, especially a co-governance relationship. Our councillors could not understand why the DA is treating them in the manner that they do.

“What type of leaders will it make us if we get these type of complaints from our councillors and let it slide? We are not in the relationship at all costs, if in a relationship you are being abused you must know when to walk,” he said.

McKenzie added that they will not take the “disrespect”.

“There are a few people that said that we should have stayed, we are not mad as PA leadership, we will never be insulted and called thugs and still remain. Gone are the days when our people get insulted and we must shake it off and smile.

“This is a new time, a new era, we give and demand respect at all times. We work with all political parties, but we will not take disrespect,” he said.

Cape Times