De Lille submits rabbi as candidate for Western Cape premier

“Independent Democrat leader Patricia de Lille has confirmed that a Johannesburg rabbi from the northern suburbs will be submitted as their candidate to contest the Western Cape Premiership in the forthcoming elections. Rabbi Alexander Carlebach of the Chabad Synagogue, Lyndhurst, Johannesburg, confirmed that he was joining the party but would not comment on the issue of a premiership. The ID are of the view that, in light of the religious cards being played by the ANC in terms of Jacob Zuma’s continued references to religion and Cope in the form of Methodist Minister Mvuma Dandala and Alan Boesak, they would best be served by adding several religious leaders of their own. Moreover they are of the belief that ‘it would free up De Lille to focus on the elections on a national scale’.” (IEL)

De Lille confirmed that: “Demographically the Western Cape and Cape Town in particular has the second largest Jewish community in the country. We would be foolish not to look at the potential of attracting this substantial bloc of voters to our party. In addition Carlebach has agreed that until the election is over he would be prepared to canvass on Fridays and Saturdays.”

Psephologists in the Western Cape believe that despite voter resistance to religious leaders in the main they may well play a significant part in drawing voters in areas such as the Western Cape. Alan Dawson of PSA suggested that the Western Cape was one area that merited bringing in men of the cloth due to the demographics of the region as well as the submission of Boesak on behalf of Cope. While the rabbi is from a Johannesburg Orthodox community, he is possessed of an impeccable record and is willing to relocate to Cape Town almost immediately.

In light of a poll conducted by IOL wherein it was suggested that the majority do not want religious leaders involved in our politics or political leaders using religious platforms I’d be interested to get the views of you lot. Should parties be looking to draw more men out of religious service and into politics or not?

While I don’t know much about this rabbi I do know that he has the largest model train collection in the Southern Hemisphere and was a beet farmer long before he did his religious training. Apparently he was looking to acquire a beet farm in Craddock in the Eastern Cape before de Lille approached him.

For what it’s worth I would merely reiterate my view that church and state must be kept as far apart as is humanly possible.