By: Mpho Molebatsi
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has accused the DA of defending white privilege and protecting rich people who skip their rate payments.
This comes after the DA objected to the current zero-tolerance stance on businesses that owe the municipality thousands of Rands in rates.
Twitter was abuzz on Wednesday as the Central Karoo mayor was going around his municipality cutting power off for big businesses who have been skipping their monthly electricity payments. This included establishments like the Sun One Hotel.
In a statement, the PA said despite being a coalition partner of the DA in some municipalities it would not be intimidated.
“The municipality has been left near bankruptcy by the misgovernance of previous administrations which includes years of DA-led mismanagement. The DA is clearly panicking in the face of the obvious changes that are coming to Beaufort West and the district at large under the leadership of district mayor Gayton Mckenzie,” said the PA.
The DA had sent a statement indicating that McKenzie had no authority to cut the power to certain businesses and ratepayers who did not pay.
“If the DA has proof that it is the municipal system that is at fault then it should produce that. There can be a little of the DA’s shamelessness when they know full well that their mayoral candidate owes the municipality nearly R700 000,” the PA said.
The PA said there were other DA councilors who owed the municipality.
“They must not think that there won’t be consequences for them too. For too long the privileged have been allowed to dodge accountability while the poor have been wounded by disconnection and poor service,” said the party.
The PA accused the DA of being hypocrites as the DA had also embarked on disconnection campaigns where they led. The DA had gone on disconnection campaigns in Johannesburg and Pretoria and had recovered millions of rands.
“To defend rate dodgers now smacks of hypocrisy and desperation to remain relevant in the face of an action-orientated mayor,” the PA said.
The DA are hypocrites they were cutting in Sandton and in Joburg businesses nobody said anything ,now their own people owe they lying and spreading false news.Well done Executive District Mayor Gayton and Executive Mayor of Beaufort West. No fear no Favour.
DA wants to use this of Mayor Mckenzie wave to remain relevant. Ppl in WC are now saw mayor Mckenzie displaying tru leadership and changing the lives of many. DA feels threatened . They must just take a chill pill