TSHWANE, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 10: Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane leads a march to the Department of Social Development to voice their concerns over Minister Bathabile Dlamini’s ongoing social grants crisis on March 10, 2017 in Tshwane, South Africa. This after the Constitutional Court on Wednesday ordered the department to provide it with answers as to why it is unable to meet the March 31 deadline to insource social grant payments.
TSHWANE, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 10: Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane leads a march to the Department of Social Development to voice their concerns over Minister Bathabile Dlamini’s ongoing social grants crisis on March 10, 2017 in Tshwane, South Africa. This after the Constitutional Court on Wednesday ordered the department to provide it with answers as to why it is unable to meet the March 31 deadline to insource social grant payments.
Tshwane Ward 92 Democratic Alliance councillor Abel Tau has raised his concerns with the balance of white and black officials running the Gauteng municipality.
Tau, a 39-year-old father originally from Winterveldt, claimed that the DA needed to do more to push their ‘non-racial’ agenda, as he is the party’s sole black councillor
Just one black councillor in DA-run Tshwane
Mr Tau, who has long campaigned for changes in the way the party connects with its constituents, spoke to The Citizen: He revealed that there is mild discontent among some residents, in terms of what the DA is doing for the people:
“I obliged. As an organisation, we pride ourselves to be … nonracial … that doesn’t believe that one has to be white to be successful. At this stage, I am the only black councillor for the DA in Tshwane. That should tell you something. I asked myself what we could learn from that and what can I do different from everyone.”
“You talk to activists on the ground and they always feel the party needs to tell us what needs to happen, as opposed to us engaging with the party. When we engage the total brain mass of our people, we are smarter.”
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The Ward 92 leader also stated he’d been brandished a ‘rebel’ by other party members for his power-to-the-people approach.
Tau’s rallying call comes as the opposition party gear up for their Election Congress. The DA are preparing to elect leaders in seven provinces. The Western and Eastern Cape regions have already been decided, as Bonginkosi Madikizela and Nqaba Bhanga assumed their leadership positions respectfully.
‘The non-racial’ party may have some racial sticking points
The DA most certainly stand at a crossroads. Although they are trying to minimise the issue of race, it can’t always be ignored. People want to feel represented by a range of diverse political figures.
One black councillor in a municipality as big as Tshwane does raise some awkward questions, though.
