On 4th August 2023 Overstrand Executive Mayor, Dr Annelie Rabie issued a statement with heading: MAYOR’S RESPONSE TO RECENT PROTESTS
This discussion forms part of a series on the recent Land Party-instigated riots from meetings held in Hawston on August 2nd and Mount Pleasant on the 3rd. These meetings led to the R43 closure in Hermanus. It's vital to grasp the unfolding context and recognize who truly should be responsible for the disruption of our normal life in Hermanus.
I've spent the weekend dissecting Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie's media statement to align each part with its context and the referenced events. In this discussion, we'll delve into the foundations of the Land Party, its relationship with the Overstrand Municipality and the lead-up to recent events.
Executive Mayor Dr Rabie states that The DA has the overwhelming majority in council, meaning that the majority of the electorate in Overstrand expressed their trust in the party to lead and govern the municipality.
It would be interesting to do a survey to see how trustworthy the communities perceive the DA to be. For now, let us give them the benefit of the doubt. The statement lays out that The protests over the last two days are nothing but a scapegoat for political shenanigans by opportunistic individuals in an effort to destabilise governance and create chaos for their own benefit.
For the sake of transparency, let's take a moment to recall who these political actors are and how they evolved into the instigators of chaos. The DA is now compelled to address them, much to the disadvantage of the other law abiding residents of Hermanus.
Executive Mayor Dr Rabie’s Land Party as referenced in her Media Statement was officially founded on January 14, 2019, and secured a seat in the Overstrand Local Municipality during a December 2020 by-election. Led by Dassy Gcobani Ndzongana, the Land Party was a key driver behind the Schulphoek land issue that led to the 2018 Hermanus siege, with support from Zwelihle Renewal and Overstrand Unite. Gcobane Ndzongana was eventually arrested for inciting public violence.
Notably, this same Land Party, responsible for the past siege, is now linked to the current R43 closures referenced by Mayor Dr. Rabie a week before the Kalfie Fees.
Take note that the closure of the R43 on the evening of the 7th of August is not linked to the previous two closures and we shall go into the reasons behind this event in another discussion.
Executive Mayor Dr Rabie further states that “One particular individual, by the name of Louis Gardiner, brandishing himself as a chief with links to the Land Party, has been publicly threatening the Mayor on several occasions that she must be taken out and that he will make the Overstrand ungovernable.”
Yet, this isn't a novel occurrence. The Land Party's true nature became evident from the outset when they made Hermanus ungovernable in 2018, whether under Dassy Gcobane Ndzongana or the current Chief Louis Gardiner. It remains the identical Land Party – the same Land Party that currently holds two seats in your Overstrand Municipal Council, the beaken of our communities' trust.
Don't overlook the key point: whoever initiates violent acts, like the recent ones led by this key figure, remains a representation of the Land Party. So, when Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie addresses this figure, she essentially addresses the entire organization he represents. Gcobane was the party leader in Hermanus and Louis Gardiner assumed the role of chief for a considerable time after Gcobane left the scene. Gcobane departed, and Gardiner took over – yet it's still the same Land Party as proclaimed by the seats they acquired and still holding in council.
On a side note, according to inside information, Gcobane fled Hermanus due to threats based on his extortion of rent illegally collected from the shack dwellers he so-called helped obtain free land, free electricity, and free water - subsidized by ratepayers. Some households were reportedly extorted up to as much as R500 per month. Moreover, Gcobane faced accusations of rape from numerous women.
This is the overlord your trusted Overstrand Council entertained on numerous occasions - a privilege no other individual or organization ever had enjoyed at the same level as Gcobane and his Land Party. Additionally, it's worth noting that individuals with strong ties to the current Land Party have verified its affiliation with some of the notorious "twenty something" gangs. Coupled with the integration of Communist China's ideologies, this shapes the real Land Party's presence and agendas within your Overstrand Council.
Mayor Dr Rabie further states that “The latest spate of protests, supposedly triggered after a public meeting in Hawston on Wednesday, is testament to this threat. What happened was that the Mayor did attend the abovementioned meeting, left after about one and a half hours, after meeting became rowdy, and still did they close the R43 with burning tyres and other obstacles.
Yes, the Land Party orchestrated the Hawston meeting with a rigged agenda aimed at their desired outcome: the closure and burning of the R43. This plan matured in the next evening at Mount Pleasant with the direct knowledge of SAPS and Law Enforcement, who never forewarned its citizens. Here's the timeline of events leading to the second closure according to witnessess.
The Land Party arranged a meeting on the evening of Thursday, the 3rd of August, in front of one of the organizer's residence. Those present were initially unaware of the true purpose, which only became clear as the meeting commenced. It subtly hinted at a call to action, although attendees initially believed it was related to the rates increase and the official meeting with the Executive Mayor Dr Rabie scheduled for th 7th of August. Pay careful attention to this point.
Shortly after the meeting, an attendee reported that not even 20 meters into their journey back home, shouts erupted about a fire at CTM. Neighborhood watch groups from Sandbaai as well as SAPS had positioned themselves near Toyota, which is close to CTM, and witnessed rocks being thrown over walls from houses across the road. These projectiles were aimed at breaking showroom windows in their vicinity, followed by the use of petrol bombs soon after.
This swift sequence of events, which transpired after a less tumultuous meeting than the one in Hawston, indicates a premeditated occurrence. Its sole intended outcome was the closure of the R43.
Both of these events were orchestrated by the Land Party, not with the aim of addressing community issues or meeting with Mayor Dr. Rabie to listen to community pleas, but rather with the primary purpose of hiding behind the communities, like they did back in 2018 during the siege of Hermanus, sowing chaos, as the Mayor accurately points out.
However, it's crucial not to lose sight of the fact that the Land Party evolved into its current state because the DA with its overwhelming majority in council, trusted by the majority of the electorate in Overstrand who expressed their trust in the party to lead and govern the municipality played a direct role as their enablers, in its formation back in 2018 with the eventual purchase of the Schulphoek Land.
To cry foul or play victim now, leaves plenty to question about accountability and responsibility, especially considering their role in fostering the very entity they now seek to blame.
This pivotal moment that shaped the trajectory of law, order, transparency and accountability in 2018 will be revisited in a series delving into the history of Schulphoek – a matter of utmost significance in the history and future of Hermanus.
Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie further contributes to my analysis of the modus operandi of the Land Party by stating, “What is of further concern is the perceived criminal undertone to these protests. Children are being used as so-called cannon fodder, to throw stones and petrol bombs at motorists and the SAPS on the R43.”
Bringing together all the facts presented by Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie, alongside the Land Party's history, it becomes conceivable that such actions might be categorized as terrorist activities.
Based on the definition provided in the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Amendment Bill, the bill defines terrorist activity as any act involving the systematic, repeated, or arbitrary use of violence by any means or method, or any act intended to threaten the unity and territorial integrity of the Republic, or to induce feelings of terror, fear, or panic in a civilian population. The use of children as “cannon fodder” in such actions could be seen as a form of violence and could potentially cause harm to civilians, which could be considered a terrorist act. I agree with Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie on this point who laments the fact “that the Land Party is now becoming involved in these violent protests, as they have had a number of protests over the last two years and all of them were peaceful.
To this I can only remind our trusted councillor of an old saying that a leopard cannot change its spots. A lesson I, myself had to learn the hard way.
However, Executive Mayor Dr Rabie states, “with the upcoming elections next year, it is not surprising that they would want to make use of any opportunity to garner support. This could, however, blow up in their faces”
While it remains undeniable that the Land Party's actions are likely to “blow up in their faces”, the same holds true for the actions or inactions of our trusted Executive Mayor Dr Rabie.
Ultimately, the DA-led council under the leadership of Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie appears to be caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. The very political “shenanigans” they've engaged in - the real root cause of the disruption in governance and the emergence of chaos - have inadvertently given rise to this devilish monster.
The fundamental question revolves around whose interests this furthers, a query that gains heightened relevance with the 2024 elections around the corner.
In the South African Constitution, the rights pertaining to safety and freedom of movement are primarily addressed in Section 12 and 21 which guarantees the right to freedom and security of the person, which includes the right to be free from all forms of violence and to be protected from harm and the right to freedom of movement.
Upholding our constitutional rights without favoritism towards certain organizations, where different rules and levels of tolerance apply, is what instills trust among the citizens of Hermanus. Actions speak far louder than words and ultimately determine whether constituents will mark their crosses on a ballot paper or draw a line in the sand.
I want to leave you with a few questions.
It would be interesting to know whether Brigadier Heilbron has commenced any investigations into these potential terrorist actions hinted at by the Executive Mayor Dr Rabie, and whether any arrests will be made soon and furthermore how transparent would he be in keeping Hermanus citizens informed of such progress?
Have charges been laid by the Executive Mayor Dr Rabie or the Municipal Manager Mr O’Neill, on the destructive and unlawful actions by the Land Party?
Why are there still representatives of the Land Party in the Overstrand Municipal Council?
Have these accounts by the Land Party been brought to the attention of the IEC?
Why does the Executive Mayor Dr Rabie regard the Land Party so much that she can be “summoned” to a Land Party meeting and even rush over to attend it, but block certain law abiding citizens from communicating with her regarding uplifting matters and more disturbing, why is it that she shows no interest to attend to meetings absent of any threat to violence?
Finally, if Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie feels that she has been intimidated and threatened by Mr. Gardiner, why would she rahter choose to vent through media statements, portraying herself as a victim, rather than following the proper channels she consistently emphasizes that we take, and open a case with the South African Police Services? It's worth noting that with the upcoming elections next year, it's not surprising that Executive Mayor Dr. Rabie would seek to seize any opportunity to gather support.
As always, the referenced documents will be posted along with this voicenote and also be available on our website soon.
Join our Open Floor session on this topic to ask questions and share your thoughts. The link will be provided through our Sandbaai Forum Whatsapp group. Kindly pass on the Forum link to your Sandbaai neighbors so that they can also stay informed and follow the upcoming discussions, where we will be covering legal matters related to infrastructure damage and accountability, explore the context and legal aspects of peaceful marches, and provide insights into the events leading to the disruptions of the R43 at Mount Pleasant on August 7th, 2023."
Stay safe.
