Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon has lauded the Independent Democrats’ decision to join Cape Town’s multiparty government.
”The widening of the coalition will enable Cape Town to have a more meaningful system of delivery, free of the inefficiency and corruption that is all too typical of ANC rule elsewhere,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
The ID announced on Wednesday that it had joined the DA-led Cape Town multiparty government.
The move followed the expulsion of the African Muslim Party from the DA coalition amid claims that it held secret talks with the ANC about forming a new coalition.
”I would like to congratulate mayor Helen Zille on her strong and principled leadership and for surviving the attempt by the Africa Muslim Party to unseat Cape Town’s multiparty coalition,” Leon said.
The ID had on countless previous occasions refused to cooperate with the DA, opting to rather work with the ANC.
However, Leon said his party was prepared to put the past behind it and forge good working relations with the ID.
”Whatever our past differences with the ID, the DA looks forward to a healthy working relationship, in the interests of all the citizens of Cape Town,” he said.
This week’s attempt to topple Zille’s administration was the seventh since the multiparty government assumed power in March last year.
”I sincerely hope the ANC will now devote themselves to playing a constructive role in this city, unlike in the past where they used every means available to unseat Mayor Zille and her coalition,” Leon said.
ID council caucus chairperson Simon Grindrod said on Wednesday that the party had heeded the call by its members and the city as a whole to put an unequivocal end to the instability.
”We have reflected long and hard on the challenges that face the city … as we work towards readying ourselves for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and other major challenges, [such as] dealing with racial polarisation and delivering services to all the citizens of Cape Town.
He said the decision to join Zille’s administration had not been an easy one.
”The ID has not come to this decision lightly … In doing this we believe the city can now get on with the job of delivery without worrying about whether the government will change this week or next week,” he said.
However, Grindrod made it clear his party will retain its independence.
We have signed a memorandum of understanding with the DA, and this spells out clearly [the] areas [where] we will be cooperating — we are not being absorbed by the DA,” he said. – Sapa