Cape Town - Veteran politician Peter Marais has vowed to continue to campaign for the Freedom Front Plus, despite not being chosen as the premier candidate of the party in the Western Cape for the national and provincial elections.
Marais, who is also the former mayor of Cape Town, was chosen by the FF+ to head the provincial election campaign in 2019 as the premier candidate and was subsequently an MPL.
In an interview Marias told the Weekend Argus about his political journey, views and future in politics.
“I retired from active politics as far back as 2004 and remained retired till 2019. I was asked and persuaded by the party's Pieter Groenewald and Connie Mulder to return to politics. I had a long, challenging, but successful career, more successful than any other ‘coloured' politician, having been in politics since 1974,” said Marais.
He said he entered the tri-cameral parliament in 1984 as a member of the President's Council and soon became vice-chairman of the Committee for Constitutional Affairs.
Right before democracy in 1992, then president FW de Klerk, appointed him as MEC of Public Works and Roads for the whole of the Cape Province, including the North, East, and Western Cape.
“Then followed appointments, becoming minister of health, then local government, social services, metro mayor, and premier,” said Marais.
He said he has no ambitions of serving another term; however, his party still needs him.
“And I have agreed to campaign for the FF Plus in this election. I remain a fully paid-up member.”
Marais didn't miss the opportunity to take a jab at the ANC’s government, saying that “under the ANC’s rule, South Africa is on its economic death bed” as the country is experiencing an electricity crisis, costing billions every month.
"The Rand-to-dollar exchange rate has plunged from a strong 1985 high of R2.40 to the US$ to the current R19 to the dollar. The Rand is now weaker than the Botswana Pula and that of three other African countries,” said Marais.
During a sitting in the provincial legislature, Marais made some remarks in which he referred to black Africans in the Western Cape as "foreigners.”
He called for the empowerment of coloured and Khoi emerging farmers, entrepreneurs, workers, and households on housing waiting lists.
On racial politics, he said: “The Afrikaner, with the help of coloured, Indian, and black people, planned and built this country's infrastructure … to world standards. We can do it again. But kick communist lovers out on May 29. Please!”
zolani.sinxo@inl.co.za