Ian Cameron first came onto the radar after confronting and criticising Police Minister Bheki Cele publicly. Now he has joined the Democratic Alliance (DA) and said that SA is “facing war-zone crime statistics” because of an “incompetent government”.
The former Action Society director spoke to IOL about his decision to go on this political path.
“About a year ago, my wife and I considered whether I should go through the confidential candidate programme with the DA. We had been thinking about it for a while. I did go through the process and then I received feedback about two weeks ago.
“I decided to give it a chance. I think it is a great opportunity to bring the civil rights work that I have done over the last 15 years and combine it with political work,” he said.
Cameron added that he has gained a lot of ground work experience in communities that he can apply in his new role.
“In terms of violent crime, there is a lot of policy and positive change I can contribute to in South Africa.”
He described the DA’s governance as the best compared to any political party and claimed that it is “clear as day” that the places where the party governed were better off.
Policing in these areas is also much better, according to Cameron.
Cameron, according a statement released by Tiaan Esterhuizen of Action Society, is the embodiment of strength and reliability.
“He has brought hope to the vulnerable and often voiceless victims of injustices in South Africa. True to his nature, he never kept quiet when someone had to speak up. He was the first voice of Action Society and left a huge footprint on our organisation. We will dearly miss working with him every day,” Esterhuizen said.
Cameron went on to say that the DA never held grudges when he openly criticised it. “They were willing to engage in positive discussions to try and build better a future”.
It would be short-sighted for anyone to assume that criticising Bheki Cele was him laying the groundwork for his political career, he added.
As the 2024 election looms, Cameron declared that if the African National Congress (ANC) is not removed from power, the country will cease to exist.
“I honestly think that they are a criminal cartel. I want to use every opportunity and every remedy possible to have them removed.”
He said that if the ANC continues to rule, the nation will become bankrupt, with over 30,000 people being murdered each year and 86 murders being committed each day.
“We are facing war-zone crime statistics, while the government is completely incompetent,” he said.
IOL