Cape Town - A few hours before the interim national leadership of the new party, Good, was expected to be announced, a fake list was circulated on social media and could be seen on current DA members’ posts.
The fake list, containing names of some former DA members who resigned late last year citing racism within the party, was dismissed by former mayoral committee member Brett Herron as a tactic to create division by the DA which kept “monitoring” the activities of Good.
“The DA claimed that it was unfazed by Good yet it is monitoring what the party does, especially what (former mayor) Patricia De Lille and I do. They’ve also been monitoring to see who of their activists have had contact with Good. If they’re unfazed in their prospects, why go to those lengths? Why don’t they campaign on their policies and offering?”
Herron said the circulation by the DA of the fake list was done in the same manner as the creation of the “insensitive” campaign billboard listing names of Life Esidimeni victims.
He was scathing of the continued reference by some DA members that he and De Lille were “corrupt”, saying the word was being loosely used by the party and had become a buzzword.
“They must allow us to carry on with our work. We are not concerned about them.”
DA provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela hit back, accusing Good supporters of having “leaked” the list.
“How else would our members have laid their hands on the list except that it was leaked? Our focus is on our election campaign which has been going very well,” Madikizela said.
But a reliable source also dismissed the list as fake, saying some of the people named were volunteers who had helped the party get off the ground, assisting with the necessary logistical issues and expertise.
“If you look at the list, it contains names of people said to be tasked with functionary roles such as campaigning, media liaison and organising. Those roles are not carried out by people in a leadership committee,” she said.
Good founder De Lille said the names of the interim national leadership committee would only be announced today after the policy conference.
Although she would not give details on it’s proposed structure, it is expected to include such positions as president, chairperson, secretary- general and treasurer.
One source speculated that De Lille would be named as the interim leader while Herron would also occupy a senior role, as he had guided the party in legal matters.
Provincial co-ordinators have gathered in Cape Town ahead of the policy conference, while some were at work in Drakenstein trying to strengthen the party’s support. Before the end of the month, the party is also expected to launch its manifesto and announce its premier candidates.
One of the party’s volunteers who had been organising support for the party in seven of the nine provinces, Shaun August, said the party was ready for the upcoming general elections.
“From the Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Free State, we have set up structures and our co-ordinators have been busy on the ground. There’s no time to rest,” he said.