The Democratic Alliance on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille, saying she is getting a ”free ride” in the build-up to the April 14 elections.
”It is important in an election that the voters should have clear information about the parties and candidates between whom they must choose,” DA chief election campaign spokesman Douglas Gibson said in a statement.
Obviously, political parties did their best to highlight their positives, but the DA, the ANC, and most other parties were routinely subjected to criticism.
”Indeed, the DA is attacked by its competitor parties every single day, and across all media,” Gibson said.
”But the ID, by contrast, is getting a free ride in this election campaign. There is very little negative comment about the ID and its leader.
”Consequently, many voters know very little about Ms De Lille and the positions she has taken on important issues in the past.”
For instance, many voters did not know De Lille ”hardly attends Parliament and does not belong to a single portfolio committee…(and) supported 33 out of 34 ANC budgets in Parliament in 2003, including the defence budget, 46% of which was dedicated to
the arms deal”.
Among other things, she also supported and defended the PAC’s armed struggle, in which Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) members murdered innocent people, supported and actively encouraged illegal land invasions, and supported government’s ”quiet diplomacy” policy towards Zimbabwe, he said.
De Lille had to accept that by becoming the leader of a political party, and by taking that party into an election campaign, she had opened herself to legitimate scrutiny and
criticism, just as DA leader Tony Leon, President Thabo Mbeki, NNP leader Marthinus Van Schalkwyk and others were subject to scrutiny and criticism.
”That’s how democracy works. It’s called ‘being held accountable’ — something Ms De Lille talks about a lot,” Gibson said. – Sapa