‘She is the mother the Cape Flats needs’: Adams hits back at James over Ellen Pakkies - IOL

Pakkies sat among the crowd and did not say a single word during the Cape Town mayoral debate hosted by Cape Forum last week.

Ellen Pakkies’s absence from recent Cape Town mayoral debates has triggered a public clash between the National Coloured Congress and ActionSA.

NCC leader Fadiel Adams has accused ActionSA’s Dereleen James of wanting to embarrass Pakkies on stage, while insisting that she remains the party’s mayoral candidate.

Adams made the comments during a Facebook Live on Wednesday night after James questioned why Pakkies was not being given a bigger platform in the NCC’s campaign.

Pakkies was announced as the NCC’s candidate for Cape Town in April, but has been noticeably absent from recent mayoral debates, with Adams representing the party instead.

At last week’s Cape Forum mayoral debate in Bellville, Pakkies was seated in the crowd but did not speak.

James subsequently questioned why Pakkies’ personal story was being used as part of the NCC’s campaign while she herself was not being given an opportunity to speak.

Pakkies became the face of the Cape Flats’ drug crisis after she killed her addict son in 2007.

Adams has now doubled down on Pakkies’ candidacy, saying there is no question that she remains the NCC’s candidate.

“Our auntie is somewhat of a protected species around here. It is very disappointing to see a video from that auntie from Eldos [Eldorado Park]. She asks why Ellen Pakkies is not at the debates,” Adams said.

“Ellen Pakkies is us. She is the mother that the Cape Flats needs. She is the symbol and the face of our struggle. She is the epitome of our mothers’ battles.”

Adams said the NCC had approached Pakkies to become its mayoral candidate despite her initial reluctance.

 “She did not want the job. She said she is not qualified and does not have the experience. She wanted a ward so that she can help our people, not the mayoral seat.

“And I told her that is why she is perfect for the job. She did not see this as an opportunity to elevate herself. She was reluctant, and this is why we love her.”

Adams acknowledged that Pakkies may not be as experienced in political debates as other candidates, but said he believed her strength lay in her community work.

He then addressed James, saying: “Can she match you [Dereleen] in a debate? No. No, she can’t. She is not the most eloquent speaker. But can you match her for community work? No, you can’t.

“Neither can you match her for an understanding of the genocide happening out here.

“You want Ellen on the stage so you can embarrass her.”

Meanwhile, speculation also continues around PAC mayoral candidate Larry Varrie, after Adams previously hinted that a major party mayoral candidate could be choosing “Coloured unity” over personal gain.

Adams has not confirmed that Varrie is the person he was referring to.