The Freedom Front Plus has nominated Lennit Max as its mayoral candidate for the City of Cape Town and Erica Botha-Rossouw as his deputy.
Max was previously Western Cape provincial police commissioner and later MEC for Community Safety in the province. At one time Max also served as special adviser to Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Lennit Max on his nomination:
He’s promised to use his expertise in policing to ensure the safety of the residents of the city.
Max rose to prominence when he became Western Cape Police Commissioner in 1999.
He has also had quite a colourful political career, having been a member of Patricia De Lille’s now-defunct Independent Democrats and then joining the DA and serving as a provincial MEC.
Later he joined the ANC. But Max says there is nothing untoward with his constant change of political parties.
“As much as the voters change their votes and apply their discretion and use democracy, so am I. A person who understands poverty who was born in poverty who grew up in poverty, who knows what it is to have a cup of water for supper. And who got into a position where he can give back to the very people, to empower them to make sense of their lives and to be an alternative to gangsterism and crime and to become responsible citizens. I will never consider a T-Shirt of a political party to keep back from service delivery. Especially in this case, I will wear proudly a FF T-shirt.”
Max has criticised the ANC’s affirmative action policies as marginalising minority racial groups in the country.
“As coloured and white people, we have to. While the ANC is marginalising us, stand together take hands and to work together and make sure there is a future for us and our children.”
Max says his nomination as a candidate is a recognition of the skills he possesses and his race had nothing to do with it.
“The appointment by the leadership of the FF Plus of me to be the mayor for the metro is not based at all on affirmative action. They know my history, they know my capabilities and it is totally based on merit. I am not an experiment and I will not be anybody’s failed experiment. I am a person in my own right.”
A question was asked about how Max could associate with a party that advocates Afrikaner Nationalism. Provincial leader Corne Mulder says the party has evolved.
” Things have changed. If I can give you a figure. 68% of our candidates in the Cape Town Metro are people of colour. You see our colleagues that are here that will be elected to understand that. So it’s a very easy message to take to the electorate. They can see what’s happening. You must also remember that the party some years ago changed its mission and we are the party fighting for minorities in SA.”
