GOOD statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
14 October 2022
Mayor of Swellendam Francois du Rand narrowly averted members of his own party bringing a motion of no confidence against him yesterday, after the councillor set to propose the motion was apparently called by DA leader Helen Zille in the morning and asked to withdraw it.
The motion would have carried because it was supported by all four DA councillors of colour in the municipality (the DA holds a total of six seats in the 11-member council).
Du Rand stands accused by his colleagues of racism, in general, providing superior services to White residents and businesses, in particular – and perpetuating inequality in one of South Africa’s oldest towns originally built by slaves.
A restauranteur by profession from the north of the country, when he migrated to Swellendam he called his restaurant, “The Whipping Post”. On these credentials, he was selected by the DA as its mayor.
Instead of voting their colleague out today, the Swellendam councillors settled for a five-point investigation of his alleged misconduct. They also had the satisfaction of overseeing the replacement of the mayor’s alleged closest ally, a FF+ councillor, as chair of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee by an ANC councillor.
The five matters to be investigated are regarded by Council insiders as “very damning”.
Swellendam news-sheet, Swellengram, published a short article today confirming that the motion brought by Deputy Mayor Michael Pokwa (DA) for the removal of Mayor Francois du Rand was withdrawn after a 9.30am call to the Deputy Mayor from “the General Chairman of the DA”.
Over the past several years, a succession of senior DA leaders of colour have walked away from the party alleging they felt they were being used as window-dressing by a party with an agenda to protect white privilege.
The DA has routinely responded by dismissing such allegations as sour grapes. The public dissolution of camaraderie in its ranks, in Swellendam, tells its own story.
Media Enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
Cell: 0825183264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 0733671223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za