DA welcomes arrest in murder of DA councillor

22 August 2016 

The DA welcomes the arrest of a suspect in the brutal murder of DA councillor, Johannes Baaitjie, in Danielskuil last week. 

Twenty-two years into democracy, we most certainly did not expect fellow South Africans to display such lethal political intolerance that would result in the death of one of our own. 

The swift response by the police, to what we believe to be a politically motivated murder, gives us confidence that the democratic principles of freedom of political affiliation will be upheld and we will allow justice to take its course. 

The DA is assisting the Baaitjie family with memorial services that will be conducted throughout the course of the week, as well as the funeral that is scheduled for Saturday, 27 August 2016.  

Johannes Baaitjie was a dedicated and a hard-working man whom we will dearly miss. We pray for strength for his family during this difficult time, as well as for the full recovery of his friend who was also seriously injured by the perpetrator/s of this crime and remains in a serious condition in hospital.  

I wish to assure the family of Baaitjie that his murder will not be in vain. It must serve to open the eyes of the nation to the extreme rot and loss of values that has manifested itself within those who govern by greed and desperately seek to cling onto power.   

The DA in the Northern Cape will work harder than ever before to spread our message of clean governance, increased job creation and improved service delivery across the province. We will also be contesting the by-election in Danielskuil, Ward 2, to fill the vacancy created by Baatjie’s passing - we will not allow dark forces to stop us from creating a society in which our values of freedom, fairness and opportunity are entrenched.    

Issued by Harold McGluwa, DA Northern Cape Provincial Chairperson, 22 August 2016