Is the ANC attempting to make Bitou ungovernable?

I will be requesting a meeting with the Western Cape Police Commissioner, Arno Lamoer, to discuss the problem of politically-motivated violence perpetrated against the DA-governed Bitou municipality after the alleged arson at the council's head offices in Plettenberg Bay in the early hours of Sunday morning.

This follows the call last year by the ANC's Southern Cape Regional Secretary, Putco Mapitisa, for all DA-led councils to be made ungovernable. The effects of this call were acute in the first few months of the new DA-led Bitou council's term, with the municipality being forced to get a court interdict to stop the ANC from disrupting council meetings.

Sunday's fire was started in the wing where both the mayor and municipal manager's offices are based. A window was broken and flammable liquid was poured into a ground floor office.

This part of the building was probably targeted due to the highly-flammable dry-wall petitions used in the offices. Extensive damage has been caused to the building, including smoke damage stretching some 50 metres down the corridors.

This is just the latest incident in the continuing trend of political violence in Bitou:

• Criminal charges have been laid against local ANC leaders in Qolweni for demolishing shacks belonging to supporters of other parties and forcibly removing people from the area

• Executive Mayor Memory Booysen has received numerous anonymous phone-calls by people referring to him as a "dog" and threatening to kill him. Mr Booysen currently is forced to wear a bulletproof-vest.

• Local business leaders have gone on record during a meeting with the council to say that the ANC ward councillor in Qolweni is actively involved in orchestrating the violence

• Recently, security has been stepped up at the home of Deputy Mayor, Adam Van Ryhner, after death threats were received

It is clear from recent events that the ANC is actively involved in attempting to make the council ungovernable. This campaign aims to use violence and fear to undermine the work of the elected DA-led council. The DA will not be deterred by attempts to stop us from delivering opportunities and better services for all the people where we govern.

I look forward to taking this matter up with Commissioner Lamoer before it spirals out of control and lives are lost.

Statement issued by DA leader, Helen Zille, February 22 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter