ALLAN SAULS, DA PR councillor, writes:
As a respected DA member and sitting proportional representative (PR) councillor having served the communities in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council over the past almost 10 years, I have never engaged Mr Hendrik Shilabe on any matters of racism at any level at any time.
I would like to clearly and unambiguously distance myself as a member of the DA with the status of being deemed to be a coloured within the South African society from the statements and or any documents that had been handed to the Speaker of council highlighting racial abused being experienced within the DA.
I have always deemed myself to be a South African in the first instance prepared to oppose the injustices of the past or any injustices whenever they occur.
I was shocked and had been more shocked when Mr Shilabe on the approval of the speaker of council was allowed to address council raising serious concerns of racism against blacks and coloured public representatives within the DA as indicated within the media statement in Kempton Express dated March 27.
During the many years of having engaged Mr Shilabe as a then colleague within the DA, I never shared, discussed or agreed to racism within the DA. I therefore find it very difficult that Mr Shilabe has become a representative for myself on the matter of racism.
As indicated previously I distance myself from what has taken place or having been shared. I have committed my life to grow the South African democracy as an individual and have freely decided to join the DA as the official opposition in South Africa to entrench the South African democratic process which was democratically implemented by the very first democratic election of April 27, 1994 by millions of South Africans, irrespective or race, colour or creed.
