The dirty tricks of coalition politics – An anecdote from FF Plus Councillor Paul Jacobson

By Chris Steyn*

The politician who thinks that politics is a lot like prostitution gives BizNews an insight into the personalities and parties involved in the recent coalition collapse in the vote for Jo'burg mayor. Paul Jacobson, the PR councillor for the FF Plus in the city of Cape Town weighs in on Helen Zille, Herman Mashaba, Gayton McKenzie and Corné Mulder. Jacobson states why he believes Governments should be run by businessmen. And he explains his controversial views on homelessness.

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Outspoken activist-turned-politician Paul Jacobson has slammed South African politicians for forsaking their principles for votes.

Jacobson, the PR councillor for the Freedom Front (FF) Plus in the city of Cape Town, likens politics to prostitution – and says the Democratic Alliance (DA) makes him want to "vomit."

These are some of the views he shared with BizNews following the recent "disastrous" collapse of the coalition voting for Jo'burg latest mayor.

According to Jacobson, DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille wants to "teach the electorate a lesson by showing how badly Johannesburg and other municipalities can fall before they open their eyes."

However, he warns that Patriotic Alliance (PA) President Gayton McKenzie is not "the kind of guy that likes to be challenged or threatened."

He says the request that McKenzie should "distance himself from his friendship with the ANC and other municipalities is just ludicrous when the DA themselves has partnerships with certain parties that have a warm relationship with the ANC."

Jacobson points out that the goal of the coalition was to keep the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) away from a partnership, but "we just ushered them in."

He warned that "if you nurture that relationship, who knows? It will and may prevail in national government and then we've shot ourselves in the foot."

Jacobson still feels that the DA could be an "incredible" party were it not for its "arrogance."

It was time that the DA listened, because "I'm not sure if Johannesburg or South Africa can recover after this."

Jacobson also slammed the DA for ignoring his pleas to the city to deal with the plight of the homeless. "They highlight the beauty of the green grass on the promenade and the white statuettes that have recently been painted, and yet we've got six-year-olds navigating between motor cars," he fumed.

"We have to enforce law and bylaw. We need drug rehabilitation facilities. We need mature social workers. We need to invest in childhood development…

I've presented to the city so many attainable campaigns to really highlight the danger of feeding on the street, which is enslaving a person to the street where he eventually dies, either through suicide, stabbings, TB, COVID, and all these harsh elements."

Read more:

• Meet PA co-founder Charles Cilliers – be prepared to change your perceptions
• Joburg's collapse of anti-ANC Moonshot Pact – "dit loop kak", but insider Cronje provides context, offers hope
• A coalition of the 'good people' will prevail in Johannesburg City Council – Freedom Front Plus Chief Whip Corné Mulder
• Helen Zille on Joburg chaos: Gayton "played" DA's Moonshot partners, always defaults to supporting ANC