GOOD Statement by Jonathan Cupido, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor:
The GOOD Party Caucus on the City of Cape Town Council condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the killing of Sinovuyo Dyokwe, a Dunoon community activist and Democratic Alliance ward candidate, who was gunned down on Saturday a day after spending the day registering voters during Registration Weekend.
We extend our deepest condolences to Ms Dyokwe’s family, friends, and the community she sought to serve. She was a fellow South African and a fellow Capetonian who stepped forward to serve, and who was killed for doing the most basic work of our democracy: bringing her neighbours into the process of choosing their own leaders.
This was not only an attack on one woman or one party. An assassination tied to voter registration is an attack on the electoral process itself, and on every resident’s right to participate in it freely and without fear. When a candidate can be murdered on her way home from signing up voters, the threat is aimed at all of us who believe elections must be decided by ballots and not bullets.
The motive for the attack is unknown at this stage and investigation must be allowed to run its course, and we call on the South African Police Service to deploy its full capacity to find those responsible and bring them before a court without delay. The people of Dunoon, who have endured more than their share of violence, deserve answers and they deserve to see justice done.
We further call on the Electoral Commission, the City, and the police to urgently review the safety of candidates, party workers, and registration staff across Cape Town ahead of the November Local Government Elections. No person should have to weigh their life against their willingness to serve.
To the residents of Dunoon and to every activist across the Cape Flats who are out registering voters this weekend, across every party: your work matters, and political violence cannot be allowed to silence it.
We stand with you, and we stand with the family of Sinovuyo Dyokwe.
May she rest in peace.
GOOD Youth Programs: GOOD has initiatives aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs.
Venom Charms
Now Now – immediately / soon. A confusing phrase for non-locals meaning sometime soon – sooner than just now but quicker than right now.Example: “We’re going to the beach now now!” (But first we have to pack our swimming gear, stop at gas station and maybe get some snacks…).
Lady Peach
Fun South African Fact: Three different destinations make up South Africa’s capital cities. This is to represent the South African government being divided into three sections. Cape Town is the legislative capital, Pretoria is the administrative capital and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. Interestingly, Parliament meetings take place for six months in Cape Town and six months in Pretoria.