Admin
12 Aug, 1997
First local council with NMP majority: Graaff-Reinet
Statement by NMP Spokesperson Five councillors serving on the Graaff-Reinet Transitional Representative Council, pledged their support to the New Movement Process yesterday. In this council, 5 of the 6 members are now supporting the NMP, making the New Movement Process the majority grouping in the TRC. It is therefore the first local council in the country with a NMP majority. The councillors have previously been on the ticket of the Graaff-Reinet Alliance, which has won the local election with a 71% majority. The members are: Johan Malherbe, TRC Chairperson Pierre le Grange, TRC Vice-chairperson Peet van Heerden Ms Pat Wallis Ernest Job In Somerset East, Christoffel Schoeman, chairman of the National Party District Council has resigned from the NP last week and joined the NMP. His secretary, Mr Gert Els, has also resigned and joined the NMP yesterday.
Admin
30 Jul, 1997
Media statement by 9 National Party members who joined New Movement Process
We nine members of the Pilanesberg region of the National Party have decided to resign from the NP and join the New Movement Process of Mr Roelf Meyer.; We believe in co-operative government as defined in our Constitution; we want to support a party that belongs in the new South Africa, a non-racial party inspired by our country’s new sense of nationhood, a party which is solution-orientated and not problem-orientated and a party with an eye on the future and not the past. The decision two months ago by NP leader Mr FW de Klerk, to disband the task team on restructuring the party, has finally made it clear to us that the NP did not, and never will, break from the past. We regard this as a clear message to find another avenue to pursue our political goals and beliefs. The way in which the NP is dealing with those who decide to leave the party, as clearly demonstrated in Pretoria with the resignation of councilors from the NP and the branding of Roelf Meyer and others as ‘the enemy’, only reinforces the image of the NP as an aggressive and beleaguered party. In resigning from the NP and joining the NMP, we also want to encourage others remaining hostage in old-style parties in a new-style country, to join us in our mission to help restructuring South African politics in order to focus on the real enemies of our country: joblessness, crime, inferior education and poor housing delivery. We left the NP because we reject the past. We join the NMP because we believe in the future. Stoffel Masebo Gertrude Moatshe Ben Moemedi David Mothlapa Aaron Kgaledi Nkae Pilane Thabo Mosebo (Leader of NP Youth League) Bishop R Makete Benjamin Matlou
Admin
28 Jul, 1997
Reaction: NP’s determination to sue
Statement by Pretoria Councillors of the New Movement Process We have taken note of the National Party’s determination to take us to court on not resigning from the CCP since leaving the party. We are, however, pleased to note that proceedings will not start immediately, and that the opportunity still exist for resolving the issues in an amicable way. We believe in peaceful co-existence and dialogue, rather than confrontation and a situation where party politics tend to take the interests of the residents of our city hostage. We do, however, want to put some of the NP’s remarks in their press release, in perspective: We did not hand over power to the ANC: The ANC is not at present in power in the Pretoria council. It holds 28 seats with the remaining 42 in the hands of the NP, NMP, independents and other parties. If the ANC effectively takes control of the city, it will rather be the result of the NP’s inability to co-operate with other parties, than the actual power base of the ANC itself. It is patently untrue that we have resigned from the NP without any consultation with our electorate. A primary reason for our resignation, has exactly been pressure from our electorate, dissatisfied with reluctance from the NP to live out its vision and mission. We find it surprising that the NP is pursuing this matter with so much vigour: By staunchly opposing the anti-defection clause in the constitution, the NP is supposedly in favour of free movement between political parties. The party accepted members of the Minority Front in KwaZulu-Natal in this spirit, but somehow cannot bring themselves to apply the same principle in Pretoria. We still believe that the interests of the residents of Pretoria can at best be served by councillors working together in a spirit of co-operation to serve those by whom they were elected.
