Statement by Patricia de Lille, Leader of GOOD
22 August 2021
Just over two years ago I resigned from my position as Mayor of Cape Town after continuously bumping heads with conservatives in the blue caucus opposed to our transformation agenda.
I resigned on my own terms after winning four court cases against the blue liars who tried to discredit my GOOD name. They have recently had to pay almost R1 million towards my legal fees.
After leaving, it became important to me to create a political home for GOOD people who want to do GOOD work.
When GOOD people do nothing that’s when evil prospers.
As GOOD we will continue to fight for social justice, economic justice, environment justice and spatial justice.
GOOD space
There are exceptions, of course, but most South Africans are good people. Many would like to contribute to the development of their country, but they feel constrained to do so for many reasons including a loss of faith in politicians.
GOOD was just three-months-old when it participated in the 2019 general election. We attracted 70 000 votes, resulting in two of our members being sworn in as MPs, and a third as an MPL in the Western Cape.
Last year we participated in some by-elections to prepare our systems for Local Government Election 2021, taking our first municipal seat in George – and coming a close second in several others.
What that has revealed is a shift in voting patterns and our growth.
These shifts in voting patterns, and the new parties entering the ring, are signs that our democracy is maturing.
LGE2021 – Ready to rumble
The GOOD Party now stands ready to increase its presence across five provinces. We are ready to submit our candidate list, and we have drafted our manifesto. It’s all systems go for municipal elections on October 27. If the election is postponed by a month or three, we’ll be even more ready!
We have identified an exciting line-up of genuine community-based representatives with the integrity, experience and skills to stand up and make a difference for their communities.
Our candidates are well-known in their communities, and they’re ready to serve. They are ready to lead municipalities, but also to provide constructive opposition where other parties are in the majority.
We launch our campaign in Cape Town today because we have lots of unfinished business in this city.
Much of the work we painstakingly started to develop a caring, inclusive, opportunity, safe and well-run city has been undone by the city government over the past two years.
- The projects we began to build affordable housing in the inner-city were scrapped.
- The additional public transport we introduced for Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain has been scrapped.
- Pro-poor budgeting has been scrapped.
- The number of fully subsidised new homes has drastically declined.
- Electricity and water charges have radically increased.
- The City has been named by Corruption Watch in the top five most corrupt cities in the country.
Coalitions and constructiveness
Coalitions are a growing political reality. Citizens are jumping off the sinking ships of the old parties and there are more choices on ballot sheets
We will put up a GOOD fight and consider questions of coalitions on a case-by-case basis, on merit and with due regard for the voters who vest their trust in us, after the elections.
Does my position, serving as a member of Cabinet, indicate we’re about to throw in our lot with the ruling party? It’s a strange question. When, in the past, members of the IFP, Azapo and the Freedom Front served Cabinet, which of their parties joined the ANC?
Being constructive as an opposition politician is very different to discarding one’s principles.
Brett Herron
After a grueling selection process, I am very grateful to be able to announce that Brett Herron is our Mayoral Candidate for the City of Cape Town.
We have unfinished business in the City of Cape Town, and there’s nobody better qualified, more experienced and passionate than Brett to get the job done.
He is an experienced local government operator and lawyer who served with me for eight years at the City of Cape Town. He was an important part of the team with whom I worked to begin the task of transforming Cape Town.
It was with Brett that we launched the city’s first electric busses and made Wifi available to commuters. And it was with Brett that we launched what should have been the first inner-city affordable housing.
Brett has been doing exceptional work in the provincial legislature, from where he has sought to hold both the provincial and city governments to account. He is a lawyer with a real legal degree, who is driven by desire to be an excellent public servant rather than desperation for a job.
Most weekends you’ll find him in communities. If you follow his Twitter account you’ll get a good idea of some of the dire challenges our people live with every day. From Delft to Langa, and from Sea Point to Nyanga to Mitchell’s Plain.
Brett, when I ran as mayoral candidate I was honoured to receive 67% of the vote. Now, strap on those gloves. It’s over to you…