We voted on Wednesday on our return from our trip to the States and the votes are all but counted, bringing the DA for the first time to nearly 25% of the vote with the ANC Govermnent having dipped a few percentage points. The ANC's vote diminished shedding voters to the DA and the new Economic Freedom Fighters. This unfortunately gives the buffoon Malema a significant voice in Parliament despite his poor record already.
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| Dave chooses from a long list of political parties registered for both the National Parliament and the Provincial Parliament. |
I have some precious memories of elections, having stood as the youngest candidate for parliament at 22 in 1981, my first election. I contested the Port Natal Constituency for the New Republic Party, a forerunner of the present DA and my opponent was Pierre Cronje, a Deputy Cabinet Minister for the governing National Party. That election whet my appetite for politics as it was one of the closest election results of the time, the NP Deputy Minister beating me by only 600 votes of the thousands cast that day. I went on to become the National Youth President of the Party and stood for Parliament again in 1983, 1985 and 1994 - the 85 election as an Independent after my Party's fiasco in the Referendum and the last election 3rd on the party list for the African Democratic Movement - the political party of Brigadier Quoza of the Ciskie as South African went to the polls for the tri-cameral parliament on the newly created party list system. Needless to say my quest for a seat in Parliament was never realised as party politics had taken a hold on South Africa and I was essentially an independent at heart.
After the 1985 poll I turned my attention to local city politics and on the 26th April 1988, a day I will always remember, I was elected as the City Councillor for the Fynnland Ward on the Bluff. The strong group of incredible friends who banded together to help me that day was very moving and we were a sight to remember decked out in our yellow and green shirts on voting day. This was a Durban Bluff ward which was part of the Port Natal constituency I had originally contested for Parliament. The Bluff was now in my veins and I had moved there, integrated with a number of community organisations and new friends and I moved my office there in 1984. I was later elected Deputy Mayor of the City and served in that capacity during 1993/1994 until the City Council was disbanded with the change of government and I served as a Metropolitan Transitional Councillor until the 1996 elections when I bowed out of politics.
Law Office
My legal firm I opened in 1984 after completing my articles, Mc Naught and Company Attorneys was the first legal office to move to and open on the Bluff later during 1984 and I think I can count about 6 other firms who over the years followed my lead.
What interesting times and so many great people I have met through my involvement in politics, including the Queen of England and Prince Philip who attended a tea party at the Durban City Hall at the invitation of the Mayor and us City Councillors.
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| Dave accompanies his mom to the voting station on the Bluff where she is registered in this week's elections |
Dave's 1996 Election Manifesto - do the political parties and candidates these days even bother to let you know who they are before you vote for their "unseen" list of polukas and even criminals?
And an advert from my first election campaign..
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