He was a founding member of the DA with Tony Leon along with his brother in law Dan Plato, the former mayor of Cape Town and now the minister for community safety in the Western Cape. Mr Kearns has been a leading figure in the DA for many years, but his departure shows that change is afoot in the Western Cape. The DA's maladministration, corruption and power-hungry tactics have continued for too long without the media getting wind of it. In many ways, the DA has enjoyed an easy time of it in the press because South Africa has so badly wanted an opposition that was more ethical and clean than the ANC. But covering up what the DA is really like is not the same as helping to build a better, stronger opposition against the political ills that plague our country.
The final straw for Mr Kearns was the debacle around the City of Cape Town's new logo. The way R300 000 was spent on this ridiculous piece of imagery and the millions more that updating it across the entire city's branding would cost taxpayers was simply too objectionable. Councillors were merely ordered to vote in favour of it without being given time to reflect on the matter and vote it in democratically. It raises serious questions around how the DA understands the Municipal Finance Management Act and if the public protector does not take it on herself to investigate this debacle, the PA would be obliged to request an investigation.
We welcome Freddie Kearns to the party, sure in the knowledge that there are others like him who intend to follow. His years of experience, political credibility and vision for a Cape Town free of the scourge of gangsterism will only help to further the Patriotic Alliance's growth.
Here follow a selection of news articles that appeared this morning about Mr Kearns' move to the PA:
DAILY VOICE
DIE SON
CAPE ARGUS:
