WESTERN CAPE HOUSING MINISTER DISCUSSES THE WAY

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAPE TOWN 000110

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/S FOR RMARBURG AND MJAMES
PRETORIA PLS PASS TO AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2019
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL SF
SUBJECT: WESTERN CAPE HOUSING MINISTER DISCUSSES THE WAY
FORWARD

Classified By: Alberta G. Mayberry for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (U) On May 14, Poloff and CG attended a dinner in honor
of newly elected Western Cape Housing Minister, Bongi
Madikizela. Madikizela, a member of the Democratic Alliance
(DA) is the only black member of the all male Western Cape
Cabinet and is also the nephew of Winnie Mandela. Although
he started his career as a member of the ANC, he was most
recently the Spokesperson in the Cape Town Mayor,s Office.
Madikizela was born in the Eastern Cape, spent some time in
Kwa Zulu Natal and then moved to Khayletsha ten years ago
where he as involved in the Khayletsha Development Program.
He studied part time and worked at a local amusement park to
put himself through school.


2. (C) When Poloff asked Madikizela what he thinks about
the fact that there is an all male, predominantly white
Western Cape Cabinet, he said the DA does not have a gender
or racial policy and that out of the five women in the
Provincial legislature, there was no one qualified to take
the role as Minister. He also said most of the women in the
DA were awarded positions in the City of Cape Town rather
than in the Province since that is what they wanted. When
discussing the racial composition of the cabinet consisting
of three colored Ministers, six white Ministers and himself
as the sole black Minister, he said that proportion is
consistent with the make up of the DA and the Western Cape.
(Note. There has been fierce opposition to Zille,s all male
Cabinet with complaints by the SA Human Rights Commission,
the ANC, women,s rights group Gender Links, and the MK
Veterans Association, which is threatening to make the
Province ungovernable. End Note)


3. ( C ) When discussing the recent mudslinging between
Premier Zille and the ANC, Madikizela criticized Zille and
said, &she was in the wrong8 with her comments. Of course,
he also thought the ANC was wrong in their statements as
well. (Note. The fight started when Zille called President
Zuma a &self confessed womanizer,8 and suggested that he
put the health of his wives at risk by engaging in
unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman. The ANC Youth
League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu hit back by saying &Zille
appointed an all male Cabinet so that she can sleep with
them.8 MK Veterans head Abbey Maphatsoe said, &Zille
appointed an all male Cabinet to keep its members close
enough to satisfy her well-evolved wild whore libido.8 End
Note)


4. (C) Poloff asked the new Health Minister what his top
projects will be during his first few days in office. He
said that there are five pieces of land that are located in
densely populated townships such as Khayletsha and Kosovo
within the city of Cape Town, but belong to the Province. He
will deed these parcels of land to the city so they can start
building houses. Additionally, he will approve the city,s
housing applications so they can build more houses. In
response to a question by the CG, Madikizela said he will be
able to work closely with the National Minister of Human
Settlements Tokyo Sexwale, noting that Sexwale is a friend.
MAYBERRY