A lot has been written about the disaster. In their own ways the two articles cited below, which mention Mmusi Maimane’s taking control of the management of the city’s response, succinctly express the consensus about the DA-run city’s mismanagement of the disaster.
Joshua Carstens: “Last week Mmusi Maimane propelled himself into the eye of the storm with a highly publicised town hall meeting. Some people compared it to a church service, with Maimane as the preacher and the rent-a-crowed (mostly DA supporters) as the congregation hanging on his lips.”
Simon Grindrod (a former ID member and supporter of embattled Patricia de Lille): “The executive mayor, who has been spearheading efforts for the last two years, is stripped of her powers [re. water disaster] by a deputy mayor [incorrect: Maimane/the DA fedex removed her] who
couldn't answer a single question on Day Zero. A political party leader jumps in to take charge, eclipsing his premier only three days after she took charge.”.
These and other opinions go to the heart of the DA’‘s and city’s confusion, incompetence and tardiness (see
here and
here).
Maimane’s and DA’s latest stunt - for that is what it is, a PR stunt - has little practical effect ameliorating the consequences of the disaster or improving the city’s management of it. Instead, it adds an opaque layer of control with no direct, consequential responsibility on Maimane and national party should this arrangement - his control of and conflating state and party lines - not work or worsen the city’s management of the disaster (it’s likely in that instance he’d absolve himself of responsibility, blaming the city’s managers).
Max du Preez (ibid): “The surprise in this whole Cape water drama was the spectacular failure of the DA to plan ahead, to manage and to communicate – a failure that didn’t even once make a dent in the party’s legendary self-righteousness and arrogance.” It’s this same hubris that makes Maimane, who is not even the DA’s shadow water minister, believe he can take charge of an issue at local government, where, as you say, neither party leadership nor MPs have jurisdiction.
The DA is making one mistake after another brought about by their entrenched belief they know everything
a priori and refusal to listen to the advice and suggestions of others.
See The Conversation,
Crossing State and Party Lines Isn't the Answer.
Joshua Carstens: “Last week Mmusi Maimane propelled himself into the eye of the storm with a highly publicised town hall meeting. Some people compared it to a church service, with Maimane as the preacher and the rent-a-crowed (mostly DA supporters) as the congregation hanging on his lips.”
Simon Grindrod (a former ID member and supporter of embattled Patricia de Lille): “The executive mayor, who has been spearheading efforts for the last two years, is stripped of her powers [re. water disaster] by a deputy mayor [incorrect: Maimane/the DA fedex removed her] who couldn't answer a single question on Day Zero. A political party leader jumps in to take charge, eclipsing his premier only three days after she took charge.”.
These and other opinions go to the heart of the DA’‘s and city’s confusion, incompetence and tardiness (see here and here).
Maimane’s and DA’s latest stunt - for that is what it is, a PR stunt - has little practical effect ameliorating the consequences of the disaster or improving the city’s management of it. Instead, it adds an opaque layer of control with no direct, consequential responsibility on Maimane and national party should this arrangement - his control of and conflating state and party lines - not work or worsen the city’s management of the disaster (it’s likely in that instance he’d absolve himself of responsibility, blaming the city’s managers).
Max du Preez (ibid): “The surprise in this whole Cape water drama was the spectacular failure of the DA to plan ahead, to manage and to communicate – a failure that didn’t even once make a dent in the party’s legendary self-righteousness and arrogance.” It’s this same hubris that makes Maimane, who is not even the DA’s shadow water minister, believe he can take charge of an issue at local government, where, as you say, neither party leadership nor MPs have jurisdiction.
The DA is making one mistake after another brought about by their entrenched belief they know everything a priori and refusal to listen to the advice and suggestions of others.
See The Conversation, Crossing State and Party Lines Isn't the Answer.