Cape Town - The City is looking into a video doing the rounds wherein DA sub-council chairperson Angus Mckenzie is heard saying “food parcels win votes in small towns like Zoar”.
The video, which surfaced a few days ago, has caused great upset in the town whose residents said they feel belittled by Mckenzie’s remarks.
His exact words in the video are: “In the platteland you go to a place like Zoar. You just go with 1 000 food parcels, you win the vote.”
City Speaker Dirk Smit said: “My office is aware of said video and I am looking into the matter to establish whether there may have been any transgression in terms of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.”
Zoar community businessman Denver Klink said they felt angered to hear belittling comments made about their town.
“For a prominent person from the DA to say such a thing is irresponsible and heartless. Our people are living in poverty, he is sitting in his comfort making jokes about Zoar, I can only imagine what else gets said. Where does he even come on the nonsense he is saying, the DA has no hold in Zoar and we certainly don’t want them here.”
Mckenzie said the video had been edited and taken out of context referring the Cape Times to a 53 minute YouTube video of a political discussion between various political party members at a spit braai in Belhar.
“This is the full video, the one doing the rounds was edited. My comment is that being truthful will take you very far, editing a video clip falsely and without permission of the owner is in fact a criminal offence and for registered political parties to engage in such behaviour is hugely problematic but then again small funded parties will do anything for relevance specifically during an election year where after they will go into hiding to resurface again at the next election. Sadly these individuals seek the public to trust them, how sad,” Mckenzie said.
Icosa national organiser Jan Cornelius described the comment as “low and common”.
“It is low for a DA leader who says they manage the best in the whole country to make remarks against us, Khoisan people. Our people are educated people. We have the biggest unemployment figure but we are not begging at the DA’s door for food. Our people have realised they made a mistake to vote for the DA in the past, they will be punished at the next municipal elections. “
Provincial DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela referred the Cape Times to regional chairperson Dan Plato, who did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
Cape Times