DA and ActionSA at each other’s throats over eThekwini water case
Durban — A war of words has erupted between the DA and ActionSA over a water and sanitation case against eThekwini Municipality.
The two parties took the municipality to court over the collapse of the City’s water and sanitation infrastructure. The two parties were supposed to launch a joint attack on the City when the Durban High Court hears the matter early next month but the DA has filed for postponement much to the disappointment of the ActionSA.
It was the ActionSA that first launched salvos at the DA, accusing it of arrogance and not treating the water challenges as urgent. In the statement issued by KwaZulu-Natal ActionSA leader Zwakele Mncwango on Monday, he said he was not entirely surprised by the DA’s action because, from the outset, the DA’s arrogance has been evident.
Mncwango said the DA did not consult his party before submitting a postponement request to the Court, despite knowing that both cases have been scheduled to be heard simultaneously.
“This is not just a lapse on their side, but it demonstrates a lack of respect for the collaborative nature of this case and the urgency it demands. Secondly, it is unsurprising that the DA’s legal team is unprepared to present their case on the agreed dates. A case of this magnitude requires a highly capable legal team, and the DA’s current actions indicate a lack of readiness and competence to handle the matter,” said Mncwango.
He also lashed out at Dean Macpherson who is the DA’s provincial chairperson accusing him of consistently misleading the public by claiming that the ActionSA was unable to secure a court date.
“He went so far as to insult our legal representatives, referring to them as ‘mediocre lawyers who can’t even secure a trial date’ and advising that ActionSA should seek a refund for their services. It is now undeniable that Macpherson owes our legal team a public written apology for his disrespectful and baseless utterances against our legal representatives,” concludes Mncwango.
Hitting back, Macpherson said the ActionSA’s mediocre litigation will cost them this important case. He said the reason for his party’s request for postponement was because of the City’s 2500-page response which the City’s legal team filed last week, saying any suggestion that there is a legal team that can be fully prepared to argue that in three weeks only proves how mediocre and unprepared the ActionSA is for this case.
“The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has noted the hysterical statement issued by its unelected Provincial Chairperson, Zwakele Mncwango accusing the DA of deliberately delaying the crucially important sewage court case that we have been the only party to relentlessly fight for. They may be prepared to lose the case so long as they gain a few headlines but the DA is certainly not. Furthermore, ActionSA should be ashamed they would be prepared to risk the money they have fleeced from the public to fund their case. The DA has entirely funded this case and not asked the public for a single cent,” said Macpherson.
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