Cape Town - Former provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela has criticised some party leaders for “obsessing” with saving President Cyril Ramaphosa and veering from the party’s vision.
In a wide-ranging interview, Madikizela said it was problematic that some DA leaders saw Ramaphosa as the “better” ANC option.
“There was a time when we had a vision of saving SA. We suffered a minor setback in 2019 (elections), which resulted in people retreating from that vision. But I’m still a firm believer we should pursue that vision.
“There are people within my own party who are so obsessed with saving Ramaphosa because he is serving the interest of certain individuals. The obsession disturbs me.
“It puzzles me. Ramaphosa is not serving the interest of the majority who are poor. I’m not going to be co-opted to be part of those who portray him as a saviour,” he said.
Madikizela said he recently met DA provincial leaders and told them he wanted to get back to that vision. He said he had expressed a similar view to DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille.
He said it was a media-led agenda that only the DA was shedding black leaders. He himself was booted out of the party leadership amid reports he misrepresented his qualifications, and was almost appointed Premier Alan Winde’s adviser this year.
“The fact is that if I had accepted that position, I was going to be compromised in a way. I told him, ‘while I appreciate the offer, I thought I should focus on my businesses’.”
Speaking about transport issues, the former Western Cape MEC for Transport and Public Works said developments had overtaken City planning.
He said red tape was less of a challenge than the unwillingness of officials to deal with planning and transport issues.
“It’s not the fault of transport service providers, like the taxi industry, to provide services to people who work in areas where the routes have not been determined by the City, because obviously people must go to work.”
Regarding taxi violence, he said: “Taxi violence is caused by this instability that exists in the industry, which is structured to incentivise violence and lawlessness. If I have a taxi and I tell my driver ‘your target is R1 000 and your salary won’t come from that’, which means after that R1 000, you have make your own salary.
“Who would obey the law under those conditions? Necessity knows no law. People would invade routes and speed because they’re under pressure to make an income.”
Madikizela said the Red Dot and Blue Dot programmes were a launchpad to formalising the industry.
“The more you harden your attitude by insulting taxi bosses and painting everyone with the same brush, surely you’re not going to get the desired outcome of stability,” he said.
soyiso.maliti@inl.co.za