Response to Clr Berg’s most embarrassing letter
I refer to the letter by Clr Izak Berg published at the end of April in the Alberton RECORD. I had to read the letter a few times as I literally could not believe what I was reading. This letter has completely exposed Clr Berg! Either Berg did not read my letter properly, or at all, or simply doesn’t understand what he is talking about.
I will respond to Clr Berg’s letter chronologically so that he does not again misunderstand me. Firstly, I am not obliged to provide Clr Berg proof of any affidavits as they were supplied to me confidentially. Unless I am obligated to do so legally, I will protect the people who provided me with the information. Read my letter, Clr Berg; I never indicated who provided me the information. You are correct, Clr Berg; Mrs Van Niekerk never provided me with the affidavits, I never said she did in the first place!
Secondly, Clr Izak Berg embarrassingly exposes himself by showing how ill-informed and politically ignorant he is. Berg clearly doesn’t know that our legislative system, which includes the system used in the Ekurhuleni Council, is based on the Westminster system. Of course I am not a Minister as I am not in the governing party. I am a Shadow Minister and I am a member of the Shadow Cabinet which is formed by the Official Opposition. This is a feature of the Westminster system which is not unique to South Africa nor was it “thought up” by the DA. Had Clr Berg understood the very system in which he operates he would know that most ex-British colonies operate within this system. Research will show that these systems exist in Canada, India, Australia and Malaysia just to mention a few.
Thirdly, I must thank Clr Berg for admitting that despite him being second on his party list he still got elected, what happened to number one? DA policy is that the voter votes for candidates starting with number one and not number two!
Fourthly, Berg exposes his further ignorance when he describes me as fighting for my seat in parliament. If this was indeed the case, I would be writing this letter in February as party lists had to be submitted to the IEC by March. Unlike IRASA, which is the ANC in drag, the DA has a comprehensive system that measures MP’s performances throughout the entire term and not the last six months as claimed by Clr Berg. Had Berg been informed he would know that I have been active in my constituency for a number of years, but then I’ll bet that Berg doesn’t even know which Constituency I represent.
I must however, thank Berg for at last being honest with the voters by admitting that the ANC had assisted in writing the IRASA constitution. IRASA voters must be kicking themselves for voting for IRASA as they may as well have voted for the ANC! Thank goodness more voters didn’t fall for your propaganda and rather voted for an effective opposition in the form of the Democratic Alliance. Strange how Clr Berg is now so quiet after bragging before the last Local Government Elections that 10 IRASA councillors would be elected. I wonder what happened there, Berg? No doubt, with this admission, voters will next time rather vote for the ANC directly or for another party of their choice.
You are quite correct to say that some DA candidates for parliament left the party and have joined others because of the DA “election system of candidates”. Members of Parliament are not re-elected as of right but because of a high standard of work and activity for the people. If this is not met then candidates do not deserve to return; unlike the ANC, and IRASA for that matter, DA public representatives are expected to work hard in serving the public.
Clr Berg’s claims that he and his party do not serve political parties rings hollow, as most of his statements praise sing for the ANC. No one needs to believe me on this; simply check out his statements!
Finally, Berg continues to expose himself by showing that he is out of touch with current news. Had he been up to date on current affairs he would’ve known that the incorrect reporting by some newspapers about the DA and the EFF in discussions about a coalition was neutralised by a clear and unambiguous media statement by Helen Zille herself, explaining that these reports are simply untrue. But then Berg wouldn’t know this as has become clear to all.
Indeed Clr Berg, again I do rest my case!
Manny de Freitas, Member of Parliament for Johannesburg South, Lesedi and Midvaal; Shadow Minister of Home Affairs, Democratic Alliance
(unsigned as transmitted electronically)
Comment from Izak Berg
To read you must also understand and to understand you must also read.
I wonder who is not reading or understanding whose letter? You see it is an old style of the DA in making allegations and when you ask for the proof they go into hiding.
The DA Leader in Ekurhuleni has done the same in a council meeting just after he was elected; up and till today he has not given council the proof of his allegations (this is why the newspapers don’t take his speeches or replies in council seriously by not publishing it). I hope for your sake you have tested your informant because a DA member told me who your informant is, and if he is correct, then I question your integrity in getting information from an ANC registered member who could not make it during the last local elections and now he is crying out for sympathy.
Maybe you should Google your alleged informant and you will be surprised that he was arrested before and put into jail, but then on the other hand if you want to deal with people like that, it is your choice.
On why I represent IRASA after I was the second candidate on the list I thought I explained it to you (read the letter another four to five times). People who don’t bring in votes don’t represent IRASA, not like you Mr. De Freitas, you get in on a DA ticket. You have not brought in a vote as Manny De Freitas and yet you sit in Parliament. Why is it that so many people in Alberton ask who you are, it is clearly highlighted in the letters of the past two to three weeks published by the Alberton RECORD? Is it because you only come to Alberton to campaign for votes and then you go back to your nest in Cape Town?
You see Mr. De Freitas you do not read, to read you must also understand and to understand you must also read. IRASA’s constitution was written by people of many political parties and civic organisations including DA members, IRASA is a civic organisation standing for keeping politics out of local government.
What happen to the DA’s promises that they could win Gauteng during the past national elections, that they could win the Joburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela metro’s during the last local elections, you and your party have failed on you promises sir. The DA is creating false perceptions during election times which they know they can’t achieve.
You say your DA councillors are working hard, why must IRASA then always step in, to get things done or sorted out in Ekurhuleni (read the letter from the resident in Meyersdal complaining in last weeks issue – it is a DA ward), have any of the DA councillors in Ekurhuleni assisted ratepayers at the Appeals Board hearings related to their objections against rates and taxes? No sir, only IRASA did, I think your DA councillors in Ekurhuleni does not even know where the Appeal Board is currently sitting. This is the reason why the DA failed so badly in Ekurhuleni during the past national elections, voting stations in Ekurhuleni that had 80 to 95 per cent DA votes during the 2000 local elections have dropped to below 60 and 70 per cent. Why have you not included Ekurhuleni as one of the Metro’s you claim you can win during the next local elections? Must I tell you that it is because of your leadership (including you) in Ekurhuleni?
How did the DA get into power in the Cape Town Metro the first time? It was because of the smaller parties who formed a coalition with the DA in governing Cape Town, and yet you tell people not to waste their votes on smaller parties.
Helen Zille has also claimed the BEE and land reformed statements made by the DA to be untrue and this is the real reason why your leader in parliament has decided to rather emigrate than to stay in the DA. She is clearly tired of having constantly egg on her face, and that is why she informed the press about her decision before informing the DA party structures.
Comment:
With this the RECORD concludes this feud between De Freitas and Berg.
Editor
