My missive from Mmusi

A few days ago I was pleasantly surprised to receive a letter through the post. In this digital age where almost all communication is conducted electronically, through e-mails and social networks, there is something sentimental about opening an envelope.

I was even more amazed to find the hand-signed note was from DA leader Mmusi Maimane – congratulating me on my recent appointment as Dispatch editor.

Besides the pleasantries, Maimane urged me to maintain the highest standards of journalism and to be guided by the Press Code, which implores journalists to be fair and balanced in their reporting.

As editor, I promise to do just that.

It was a kind gesture and a welcome one at that. I generally regard Maimane as a sincere fellow who means well. Having interviewed him in my previous role as a political correspondent at the Sunday Times, I sometimes found him to be too honest for his own good. Politicians are not known for their rectitude.

For a moment I thought about the task that lies ahead for him as DA leader, especially with local government elections this year.

As with all other pre-election periods, the rhetoric becomes more verbose, the insults between political parties fly from all directions and in no time the politics of the gutter becomes the order of the day.

This election will be no different.

But Maimane finds himself in an unenviable position – having to grow the DA beyond its traditional white base and convincing skeptical black voters that the DA is open for all.

His problem is not so much the constant accusations of racism from the ANC, which are to be expected, but rather the complaints from his own members, including one recently from respected DA MP Makashule Gana.

How the party has handled cases and allegations of racism so far leaves a lot to be desired.

Somersaulting on the Dianne Kohler-Barnard matter and the slap on the wrist she received for disseminating a racist post which hankered for Hendrik Verwoerd’s return did little to convince the skeptics.

Now the party has to deal with the issue of its former Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Knight Mali who was fired and is facing a disciplinary hearing for his role in a complaint of racism levelled against DA Eastern Cape leader Athol Trollip and his family.

The matter is being investigated by the SA Human Rights Commission and Trollip has vehemently denied the claim.

The timing of the complaint against Trollip does raise some questions, but the commission will surely be able to get to the bottom of the story. But how the party handles Mali’s case will be of interest to many.

Already there is a high court order that the DA reinstate Mali’s membership. Mali also wants his old council position back.

So far the party is not budging, telling him the position has been filled. He has vowed to return to court to fight for his seat.

In the same council, a DA councillor Chris Roberts was fined R10000 for calling a fellow UDM councillor a bobbejaan during a council debate last year. For his racist comment, Roberts was demoted as the party's whip in the NMB council, but he remains a councillor.

On Tuesday, Trollip – as DA leader in the Eastern Cape – opened a case of crimen injuria and assault against a yet to be identified man who knocked pizza delivery man, Omoefe Acboriyede, off his bike in a racist attack. In the video, shot by the malicious driver, the anonymous man is heard mouthing racist insults directed at Acboriyede.

For now these charges are nothing more than a PR exercise on the part of the DA. For one thing, there is no identified suspect.

If the party was so serious about racism surely they would have opened a case against Roberts – unless they not regard his transgression as that serious.

It is not an easy job leading a political party. But in all that he does, Maimane would do well to make sure his party acts in a manner which is seen to be fair and balanced.