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GEORGE ELECTIONS NEWS & VIDEO - Affirmative action and corruption in the municipality are some of the tough questions Premier Helen Zille faced during her visit to George last week. Zille addressed the public last Wednesday, 3 April, at the Dutch Reformed Church in Denne-oord, a week before the byelec-tion in Ward 18, which took place yesterday, 10 April.

Zille was the political magnet for the introduction of the DA candidate for the ward, Donovan Gultig, but since the by-election took place less than a month before the national and provincial elections on 8 May, it was the ideal opportunity to cover both. She reminded voters that their choice will matter and said it is very important in a by-election to send the message of the DA's support.

BBBEE a 'smoke screen'
Zille answered several questions from the audience, including a question on the DA's take on affirmative action. Zille said the DA is totally against cadre deployment and racial preferencing that becomes a smoke screen for cronies, corruption and the criminal state. 

She said there is a big debate in the DA whether they should move away from race as a proxy for disadvantage. "And I am one of the people who believe we should," said Zille.

"We know that the playing fields were not level, especially given the policies of the past. Our policy is to broaden opportunity, not manipulate outcomes. That is why it is so fundamentally different from the ANC's policy. The ANC's policy is to say every position must be filled, not only by a black person, but by an ANC cadre. So BBBEE is a smoke screen for cadre deployment which goes together with corruption and ends in a criminal state, as we've now got."

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Zille said the DA believes in broadening opportunities for all. "In fact, a key role of the state is to protect people's rights and freedoms and extend their opportunities. The best way to increase economic opportunities for all is through economic growth and good education. Those are the two pillars of our affirmative action."

Asked how the DA will deal with corruption on municipal level, Zille asked for concrete evidence to back allegations. Earlier Zille said the DA doesn't hesitate to expose corruption, even in their own party, and used the Hawks' investigation of George Municipality as an example. She said the case is currently at the National Prosecution Authority and every time the DA follows up on the matter, staff shortage is cited as a reason for the delay.

Read a previous article: Zille speaks before by-election in ward 18

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