GOOD Statement by Roscoe Palm, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor:
Yesterday’s scenes of violence in the City of Cape Town Council once again highlighted the DA’s hypocrisy, the double standard they apply when in opposition versus when they are in power.
Back in March 2015, the DA rightly condemned the so called “white shirts” for their thuggery in Parliament, men who dragged journalists to the ground, deleted evidence of their actions, and silenced dissent under the guise of security. At the time, the DA warned of an erosion of democracy, of heavy handed tactics smothering the opposition and the media. John Steenhuisen accused the ANC led house of protecting then-President Jacob Zuma, “whenever President Zuma is on the parliamentary precinct there is a contingent of armed and unidentified hoodlums harassing Members of Parliament”.
Yet yesterday, under the DA’s own watch in the City of Cape Town, unidentified security entered the City’s Council chambers and violently attacked a public representative, choking him to the point of unconsciousness while the Speaker, Felicity Purchase, shuffled her papers and looked away, unconcerned that the life of a councillor was at risk based on her willful misapplication of the Rules of Order for council sittings.
It was exactly the scenario the DA once warned the country about, except this time it was happening under their authority, in their Council.
The hypocrisy is staggering. The DA of 2015 decried the “white shirts” in Parliament. The DA of 2025 tolerates, and even enables, its local equivalent in Cape Town.
GOOD will not allow this double standard to stand unchallenged. What happened yesterday is an assault not just on one councillor, but on the principles of democracy itself. The DA cannot pretend to champion accountability and constitutional order in Parliament while presiding over violence and intimidation in Cape Town.
It is time for the same outrage they once demanded from others and for real accountability for what happened in Council.
GOOD Manifesto on Interfaith Dialogue: Encouraging dialogue and understanding among different faiths.
Swing Setter
Interview with a pirate:
There was a pirate who had agreed to do an interview with a local tv station. The reporter was very courteous and professional, giving a bit of background as to the pirate\’s business. She then began interviewing him.
\”So Mr. Longbeard, are there any risks to your business? I see you have a peg leg- how did that come about?\”
\”Well, y\’see I were sailing along the coast of South Africa, looking to plunder some locals when as I boarded the small boat from the ship, a great white shark came up and got my leg clean off. \’twas scary yes, but thus is the life of a pirate.\”
\”Wow, that is pretty scary- well, how about your hook? What happened to your hand with that?\”
\”Oh now that\’s quite the tale, y\’see I were fighting a rival pirate, and we had locked swords. We had been fighting for a few hours, and were both terribly fatigued. I had a bit of exhaustion and confusion, and when I went to block one of his sword blows, I met him with me hand instead of me sword. Took it right off, but it shocked him so much I managed to get him back pretty good and have him submit. So the hook hand was given as a replacement.\”
\”Wow. Simply fascinating. Now, what about your eye patch? How did that happen?\”
\”Well, one day, a seagull was flying overhead, and I looked up. It pooped right in me eye.\”
\”… Well wow. I must admit, I wouldn\’t think just seagull poop could damage the eye that badly.\”
\”Oh, I forgot to mention… it were me first day with the hook.\”
Neogermal
USSR: You have two cows. But you wish this was not the case, because in Soviet Russia, cow milk you.