John Veschini leaves the DA

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=30 BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-left: 1px solid #3366CC;" BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Tulbagh Info Information</B></div> <div> John Veschini leaves the DA</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="120" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC HEIGHT= 15 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="local_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tulbagh News Page 2"><U>Back to Local News</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>John Veschini makes a decision to leave the Democratic Alliance Party on Wednesday 11 November, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> On Thursday at the annual general meeting of the DA Branch of Tulbagh, I made a final decision to leave the DA in the interests of my community. It was a heart rendering decision and came about after three years of frustration and growing doubts as to whether the DA could govern effectively in the Witzenberg and had the capacity to deliver services to the community. Further reasons included the apparent `top-down' approach to management within the Party structures and the autocratic management style of the Constituency Head assigned to the Witzenberg (she ran the show as if the Party belonged to her and nobody else had any say). The Party was certainly not `democratic on the ground locally and the structures were dysfunctional as a result. Complaints to higher structures or the leadership were largely ignored. So, I made my speech and left the meeting and about 90% of the members present walked out with me and the DA was left without a quorum and could not elect a Branch Committee.</div> <bR> <div> However, the most important reason to resign was that we are soon to have Local Government Elections and it is my considered opinion, given that we have experienced `ineffective governance by both the DA and its coalition partners and the ANC and its coalition partners thus far, that neither can be entrusted with satisfactory governance of the Witzenberg.</div> <bR> <div> As I write this, the DA and ANC are embroiled in another power struggle as to which is going to take control of Council by hoping `to get into bed with a smaller Party'.  For the last three months, due to one tiny Party having decided to remove their Mayor, Council has not functioned as a result of there being no Mayoral Executive Council. Of course, this results in a lack of continuity and it affects the ability of the officials to do their jobs effectively as well. Then we have `political appointments' happening. The DA appointed the `so called' R35,000 a month PA to their erstwhile Mayor originally as a political appointment and we as Ratepayers had to foot the Bill. When the DA lost power, the tiny `key' Party kept her on. Even currently, we have people with questionable records being employed as political appointees by the governing Party coalition. </div> <bR> <div> So all we have with these large Parties is a year upon year `struggle' for the lucrative positions that being on the Mayoral Executive affords them and apparently nothing else?  The work that they should be doing as public representatives' for their communities appears to have a low priority to many of the Councillors.</div> <bR> <div> The Parties are `instructed and managed' from Cape Town, their appointee MP's who are supposed to manage the process, don't live here, don't know the problems on the ground and quite frankly don't appear to give a damn either. It is Just politics to them! I don't even believe that they even drive around the towns to see what it is like on the ground!</div> <bR> <div> I am on record of having suggested that there should not be politics in Local Government but I realise that this is the system and we have no alternative but to go with it. However, there is no reason why a grouping of like minded Independents cannot take on the larger Parties and contest every Ward. I am negotiating with such like minded people. In our discussions so far, we are as one on one very important point - we want the Witzenberg to be governed effectively by capable willing and able locals who have been elected by their respective communities and who are accountable to their communities and not to the Party leaders in Cape Town, or someone from outside of the area.</div> <bR> <div> I am still strongly in favour of the de-amalgamation of all towns outside of the metropolitan areas. But, once again, I believe it will take a long time before the powers that be come to realise that this is the root cause of the problem of the lack of service delivery and will agree to de-amalgamate and allow smaller towns to govern themselves autonomously.  So, that is something for the future?</div> <bR> <div> <B>I</B><B>n</B><B> summation, I have decided to stand for election for my community as an independent.</B> It is just the vehicle to use that has to be decided upon.</div> <bR> <div> I will keep my community abreast with developments and hopefully I will get your support as I have always supported you.</div> <bR> <div> Kind regards,</div> <bR> <div> John Veschini</div> <div> Tulbagh</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=28 style=" border-top: 1px solid #0066CC; border-left: 1px solid #0066CC;border-right: 1px solid #0066CC; border-bottom: 1px solid #0066CC;" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>