The lead article “Axe Trojan Horse official” on the Cape Times front page dated Thursday, January 21, as well as your opinion article, “Not fit to serve”, bear reference.
I struggle to understand the latest brouhaha around Councillor Sam Pienaar and his fitness to serve in public office.
Firstly, I do not know Sam Pienaar from a bar of soap. I have never met or spoken to the man personally, but saw him at two official functions held in Belhar last year. I also wish to state that I only recently learnt of his role in the Trojan Horse massacre. I then wondered why the DA would have chosen him to stand as one of their councillors, given his background.
At the time, I thought that they ought to have known of his background and his history in the then South African Railway Police. I still think that they must be aware of his role in the Trojan Horse massacre, which all right-minded people condemned.
In my view, Sam Pienaar is an apartheid link to the DA. He may slowly become a liability to them. However, do all these sentiments that the ANC’s City of Cape Town spokesperson, Xolani Sotashe, and I have regarding him make him ineligible or unfit to hold public office? I honestly do not think so.
Let me also state that I am an ANC member in Ward 22. At some stage, I was also the ANC branch chairperson in this ward, albeit for a short while. I also do not wish to be seen to be batting for Sam Pienaar.
He must face his own demons. However, I respectfully disagree with Comrade Xolani Sotashe that Sam Pienaar should now be dismissed by the DA and the City of Cape Town.
He was aware since 2011 that Sam Pienaar was a candidate for ward councillor and his subsequent election into that position. He was later sworn in as a ward councillor and I can confidently say that I did not hear a peep or read anything about Sam Pienaar’s links to the apartheid apparatus or the Trojan Horse massacre.
To my knowledge, no one spoke about this man with the dark apartheid past. The man operated above radar and no one had any objection about his public role. I have no record that even the ANC councillor in subcouncil 6 made any objection to Sam Pienaar being elected the subcouncil chairperson. Therefore, I find it difficult to understand why there is such a big thing about the man at this late hour.
He has served nearly a full term in office. Was he not elected into public office in a fair election process? The IEC did not disqualify him as a candidate in 2011, so why do our leaders in the ANC now have serious objections with Sam Pienaar as a councillor? By whom and how should we be convinced that someone is a racist or not?
The ANC has also welcomed personalities with apartheid links into its midst and we had to refer to them as “comrades”. Even if we liked it or not. Therefore, I cannot sit by idly and allow our political leaders, across the political spectrum, to decide for us who is kosher or not. I believe that right-minded people in the DA failed to object to Sam Pienaar’s membership and his candidature as a councillor.
I am equally critical that all opposition parties in the City of Cape Town failed the victims of the Trojan Horse massacre, their families, as well as the residents of this city by not objecting more vigorously to Sam Pienaar’s elevation into the DA hierarchy and his promotion in subcouncil 6.
In conclusion, apartheid was wrong and unjust, and as a result it has created so much hardship and backwardness in our society that I believe its after-effects would still be felt for decades to come.
Therefore, we must continue to criticise the actions of those who were at the forefront in ensuring its survival and perpetuity.
It would have assisted us greatly by informing us as residents of this city and readers of this paper, at the time when Sam Pienaar was elected, had the Cape Times timeously reported on the matter, and not only now to jump on the bandwagon calling for his head at the 11th hour.
I expected more from this auspicious newspaper.
Gafieldien Benjamin
Belhar