March 2004
Up one levelMarch 2004 news items are stored here.
De Lille unveils election manifesto
2004-03-01. Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille unveiled her party's election manifesto in Johannesburg yesterday, focusing on "bridging the divides in our society".
Dinner for three, Mbeki, Leon and me
2004-03-01. Now why doesn't President Thabo Mbeki want to have a television debate with Tony Leon? It's like the captains of two teams refusing to pose for a photograph before the final for a World Cup.
De Lille calls on government to create more jobs
2004-03-01. Patricia de Lille, the leader of the Independent Democrats (ID) says South Africa should focus on rehabilitating the backlog of infrastructure and creating jobs. Speaking after the launch of their party manifesto over the weekend, she said the R100 million that President Thabo Mbeki had set aside for the development of infrastructure, should be used to repair hospitals, schools and roads. She said the money should be used to engage contractors from the small and medium enterprises to create jobs in the informal sector and also make capital accessible to emerging businesses.
De Lille fields 167 national candidates
2004-03-02. Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille is fielding 167 candidates on her national list for the National Assembly for the April 14 election although her party has set its sights on achieving 5% of the national vote - the equivalent of 20 seats.
Parties go all out to woo first-time voters
2004-03-05. Cheers and jeers were the order of the day when politicians from various parties took to the stage at the University of Pretoria.
Tannie supports them all, skattie
2004-03-08. The leader of the Democratic Alliance, Tony Leon, has accused me of being biased.
De Lille on land, Zim and Marthinus
2004-03-10. Independent Democrats party leader Patricia de Lille was forthright in her answers to Cape Argus readers, who called the paper's Voters Hotline on Tuesday night.
De Lille outraged by DA's death penalty view
2004-03-10. Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille on Wednesday criticised her Democratic Alliance counterpart Tony Leon for his support of the death penalty for certain crimes, saying she was "outraged".
DA's death penalty stance irks De Lille
2004-03-11. Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille on Wednesday criticised her Democratic Alliance counterpart Tony Leon for his support of the death penalty for certain crimes, saying she was "outraged".
De Lille continues electioneering in the Free State
2004-03-12. The electioneering campaign of Patricia de Lille, the Independent Democrats leader, continues in the Free State today. De Lille will address a public meeting in Bloemfontein today and one at Botshabelo, east of Bloemfontein, tomorrow.
De Lille blasts govt on Aids drugs roll-out
2004-03-12. Cape Town - Patricia de Lille, the Independent Democrats (ID) leader, has criticised the government for failing to provide anti-retrovirals timeously to save lives.
De Lille lashes out at North West govt
2004-03-17. Independent Democrats leader Patricia De Lille has lashed out at the North West Government's decision to throw a multi-million rand lifeline to the bankrupt Mafikeng Local Municipality. This emerged from a litany of concerns raised by the opposition leader during her whistle stop campaign in the Northwest.
Pieter Dirk-Uys leaps out of DA's closet
2004-03-17. Pieter-Dirk Uys, better known in his drag role Evita Bezuidenhout who plays the former ambassadress to the imaginary apartheid homeland of Bapetikosweti has resigned as a member of the official opposition Democratic Alliance.
Party hopefuls playing the same cards
2004-03-19. Cape Town - The jury is still out on how wide the ANC's victory margin will be in South Africa's general elections next month.
De Lille expects 10% of the vote
2004-03-23. Between 10% and 12% of the vote - that is what Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille predicts her party will get in next month's general election.
Exposing the dirt on the DA
2004-03-24. The Star, sister newspaper to the Pretoria News, has uncovered the dirt on the Democratic Alliance.
ID: Affirmative action has had its day
2004-03-24. Cape Town - An open-ended process of affirmative action would create a culture of entitlement among black South Africans and do away with the notion of achievement, Independent Democrats deputy leader Themba Sono said on Wednesday.
De Lille's 'baby' is one year old
2004-03-26. Cape Town - New kids on the political block, the Independent Democrats, celebrate their first anniversary this weekend.
Patricia de Lille wants 10-12% of the vote
2004-03-30. Between 10% and 12% of the vote - that is what Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille predicts her party will get in April's general elections.
