Alison van der Molen jumps ship

This move by the former ward 118 councillor was greeted with mixed emotions from members of the community she used to serve.

While some residents said they felt betrayed, others voiced their support regarding her move. Others questioned how she could move to the party she had blamed for problems faced by residents.

“I personally wrote to her asking for her help to resolve some issues around Kensington. She stated we had to realise the ANC is the majority in council, so they undermine the DA-led wards. Basically, she blamed them (the ANC) for the lack of delivery in our council. And then she joins them. She betrayed us, the voters who dealt with her, and lied outright. Now maybe we can get someone in place who actually does care for the neighbourhood we all love. This is the best news regarding our ward for a long time,” said Mr Roger Sequeira, a Kensington resident.

Mr Mike Spadino, another Malvern resident, said he feels betrayed.

“From a personal view, I feel gutted that I campaigned for a turn-coat. We should have seen it coming as she was starting to lose it. She was unable to stand the pressure from community members as she failed them in service delivery due to her manner with officials. She fooled everybody. I feel sorry for the ANC,” he said.

The chairperson of the I Love Kensington Association (Ilka), Mrs Lornette Joseph, said the association is saddened, but not surprised, at the announcement of Ms Van Der Molen’s decision to leave the DA.

“I have read many comments about her inefficiencies as well as those comments praising her. I do not think those complaining fully understand that until another election can be held. Ward 118 is without a councillor and, as such, without council representation. Ilka has always found her to be extremely helpful and always willing to go the extra mile. We have found that she has always been willing and available, and has a great passion for her community and those she served. This Ilka executive committee will miss her advice and input but we do understand her need to leave. We wish her all the very best for her future endeavours,” said Mrs Joseph.

The treasurer of the We Love Malvern Community Forum, Ms Bernadette Wentzel, said the resignation of Ms Van der Molen from the DA to join the ANC will have no impact on the organisation’s visions and way forward for residents and businesses of Malvern.

“We thank Ms Van der Molen for her contributions in the past and wish her all the best in her new venture. The We Love Malvern Community Forum has many initiatives on the go to make Malvern a cleaner and more positive area,” she said.

Despite his concerns levelled against Ms Van der Molen a week before she defected, Mr Godfrey Mothibe, the chairperson of the Cleveland Community Police Forum (CCPF) and a Cyrildene resident, said she is entitled to making her own choices. “The constitution of this country allows it. She is exercising her rights. She tried her best and did good work. We can only get reasons from her as to why she decided to move. We have not lost anything by her changing parties. The ward is still our ward. Whoever serves as the councillor must serve the community and I will support them,” he said.

Prior to the announcement made on Tuesday, Ms Van der Molen spoke to the EXPRESS about her intention to defect and the reasons for it.

She said she fell off the DA’s provincial list because “the Jumpers Informal Settlement was more important than her political career”.

“I could not see myself in an interview for a provincial post just two days after a shack fire. The well-being of my community superseded this. That is the person I am. The attitude of caucus is that performance appraisals take precedence over anything else, we have to tick all the boxes and even if we see to the needs of the community, we get no recognition for this,” she said.

She added that the founding principles of the DA is diversity. “The DA does not embrace diversity with regard to race and gender. They say they can replace you. It does not matter how good you are. I did not think these were the principles the DA stood for. We are ordered on what to and not to do. There are unrealistic demands. The DA used to put the community first, but not anymore,” she said.

In a press release issued following the announcement last week, Ms Van der Molen said, “The DA has moved away from what it professes its policies to be. It does not have proper support for its leaders and no space to really make a difference,” she said.

“I am glad to be part of the ANC, an organisation that is, and will continue, making a real difference in the community.”

She told the EXPRESS that she will always hold the community she worked closely with close to her heart.

“With Jumpers… we have travelled difficult roads together and we saw positive changes. I will always help residents wherever I can. There are some community members who I will really miss. I want them to continue with the amazing work they do. Do not lose momentum,” she said.

Mr Rob Crawford, the chairperson of the Sector 1 Crime Forum, feels differently.

“Politicians and diapers need to be changed regularly and for the same reason. There is an ongoing thread in Ms Van der Molen’s defense of her inadequacies. It is always somebody else’s fault.

“In particular when the Cyrildene residents and the CPF did not defer to her on how things should be done, according to her, it was then always our fault and not hers when issues are raised as not being dealt with.

“However, in our defence, when we had followed her advice it was then always Joburg city officials or the ANC who were to blame for things not being done. And still our fault because we voted them in,” he said.

Speaking about her defecting to the ANC, Mr Crawford said even in this instance she again apportioned blame elsewhere. “This time she apportioned blame to the DA as a party which did not understand that “her” community was more important to her than an interview in respect of her political career. Politics, to her, seems to be just a job. The complaints regarding her performance and attitude emanates from all areas of the community she ‘served’. The fact that the DA was taking steps to improve her performance reflects the fact that her superiors were also concerned and were taking the complaints seriously. In other words – she was not doing her job,” he said.

He said her “aggressive and defensive outbursts and self-promotion will not be missed.

“I look forward to a new councillor who, going forward, will bring the residents of the ward and the city officials closer so that issues in the communities which are very different throughout the ward can be addressed effectively,” said Mr Crawford.

ANC Gauteng provincial secretary, Mr David Makhura, welcomed her and two other DA members who defected. “We welcome new members with open arms and must stress that they are joining without any personal reward other than serving our people,” he said.

MPL Jack Bloom, the DA Constituency Head, said he is relieved that Ms Van der Molen has left the DA.

“She was an embarrassment to the party. The various complaints from community members about her were embarrassing. I personally received complaints. Her actions were problematic. The community needs someone who can take up their concerns and listen to what they have to say. The DA was taking steps to improve her performance. We have a performance management system and she did not score well. She was one of those at the bottom and she would not have been chosen by the DA again. She was also campaigning for the DA recently and moved to the ANC soon after. How can you be one party today and another the day after? The ANC is not taking good members. They are taking our weak members,” he said.

The EXPRESS contacted Ms Van der Molen regarding all negative comments made.

She said she has no further comment.