339:
Nation
Address calling on President Zuma to "smash the SADTU protection racket, so that we can improve the education of every child." Political commentator Andrew Kenny described it in The Citizen newspaper as the best speech he had heard in the debate. "It was sincere, told an obvious truth, and dealt with a terrible problem, the appalling education of our black children", said Kenny. In January 2018, he was appointed Shadow Minister of Energy.
338:
On 3 October 2015, DA Leader Mmusi
Maimane appointed Davis as Shadow Minister of Basic Education. Davis was an avid campaigner for equal education, and a fierce opponent of the militant South African Democratic Teachers' Union. On 16 February 2016, he gave a speech in the debate on the State of the
347:
Davis has been a vocal proponent of liberal views inside and outside the
Democratic Alliance. In the lead-up to the DA's 2018 Federal Congress he co-authored (with Michael Cardo MP) a letter to Congress delegates warning of anti-liberal tendencies contained in the proposed 'diversity clause' to be
334:
had lied to
Parliament about her qualifications when she applied for a position on the SABC Board. The inquiry eventually found Tshabalala guilty of misconduct and perjury, and recommended her removal from the Board. Tshabalala resigned before she could be formally removed on 17 December 2014. In
294:
Davis was central to a number of campaigns that sought to broaden the DA's appeal beyond its traditional support base. This included the 2013 'Know Your DA' campaign and the 2014 election campaign which began with a controversial protest march against unemployment outside the headquarters of the
302:
Davis is credited with authoring a number of key speeches for the party leadership. This included DA Leader Mmusi
Maimane's seminal 'Broken Man' speech delivered during the 2015 debate on the State of the Nation Debate in Parliament that captured the nation's mood and turned the tide against
290:
As the DA's
Executive Director of Communications, Davis was instrumental in the party's successful integration of traditional and digital marketing techniques. The party's 2013 'anonymous' anti-etolling billboard and accompanying social media campaign was pioneering in this regard.
356:
In
October 2018 Davis announced he was leaving Parliament to take up the position of Chief Executive Officer at Resolve Communications, a strategic communications and public affairs consultancy founded by former leader of the official opposition
335:
January 2015, Davis exposed the irregular channeling of government money to The New Age newspaper owned by the Gupta family, an early indicator of the 'state capture' scandal that would later bring down
President Zuma.
440:'Media coverage in Election '04: were some parties more equal than others? in J Piombo & L Nijzink (eds) Electoral politics in South Africa: assessing the first democratic decade. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
71:
549:
392:
311:
In 2014, Davis was placed ninth on the DA's list of
Western Cape candidates for the National Assembly. In May 2014, Davis was elected by the DA caucus to serve as a
279:
Davis joined the DA as a
Researcher in 2004 and was later appointed Chief of Staff in the Leader's Office. After a stint as a Special Advisor to the Premier of the
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417:
239:
Davis was born in London in the United Kingdom, but grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. He holds Honours and master's degrees in politics and economics from
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439:
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inserted into the party constitution. A number of amendments proposed by Davis and Cardo were unanimously agreed to at the Congress.
303:
President Zuma. The speech is featured in the book 'Speeches that Shaped South Africa', which devotes a chapter to its significance.
685:
572:
396:
450:
663:
652:
228:
208:
560:
527:
429:'Proportional Representation and Racial Campaigning in South Africa', Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 10(2), 2004
696:
428:
619:
550:'Election 2014: Democratic Alliance takes the low road to Luthuli House', Daily Maverick, 24 January 2014
483:
630:
28:
296:
422:
244:
734:
641:
729:
517:'DA puts social media strategy in overdrive ahead of elections', Business Day, 8 April 2014
248:
224:
506:'DA focuses on new markets and media in run-up to 2014 poll', Business Day, 3 October 2011
8:
418:'Silent Majority: a crisis is brewing in basic education, Daily Maverick, 27 October 2015
260:
171:
576:
411:
539:'DA sets ball rolling with history lesson to the nation', Business Day, 22 April 2013
462:'For liberalism to succeed we must dispense with dogma', Politicsweb, 22 January 2013
256:
240:
380:
331:
109:
620:'DA welcomes Ellen Tshabalala’s resignation', DA press statement, 17 December 2014
393:"'Khayelitsha: an unfolding success story, Good Governance Africa, September 2013"
320:
312:
97:
287:, Davis was appointed Executive Director of Communications for the DA in 2011.
147:
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316:
598:'Seasoned MPs will assist DA's new caucus leader', Business Day, 30 May 2014
326:
In July 2014, Davis initiated a parliamentary inquiry into allegations that
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473:'The anatomy of a hollow liberal mythology', Politicsweb, 13 November 2013
686:'DA's Diversity Debate - The Inside Story', Huffington Post 10 April 2018
284:
59:
707:
268:
385:
631:'DA blasts gov’t over New Age spending', Tech Central 29 January 2015
484:'Moving past the gatekeepers', Rhodes Journalism Review, no. 33, 2013
358:
252:
121:
642:'Changes to DA's Shadow Cabinet', DA press statement, 3 October 2015
675:'Real Progressives Reject Groupthink, Daily Maverick 26 March 2018
365:. He is currently the Managing Partner of Ockham Communications.
573:"'DA and Agang in talks - again', City Press, 26 January 2014"
451:'No wonder viewers are switching off', The Star, 17 July 2014
327:
561:'Speeches that Shaped South Africa', Penguin Random House
697:'Gavin Davis resigns as DA MP', News24 20 September 2018
609:'The DA's new shadow cabinet', Politicsweb, 5 June 2014
528:'Spin City: DA vs. ANC', Daily Maverick, 8 October 2013
664:'SADTU Betrays Children, Andrew Kenny 23 February 2016
716:
725:Democratic Alliance (South Africa) politicians
351:
433:
274:
231:(DA), South Africa's official opposition.
315:. In the same month, Parliamentary Leader
51:1 January 2018 – 15 October 2018
499:
488:
306:
717:
259:and campaigning, media and elections,
139:5 June 2014 – 3 October 2015
89:3 October 2015 – 1 June 2017
653:'Smash the SADTU protection racket'
319:appointed Davis to the position of
13:
78:Shadow Minister of Basic Education
14:
746:
223:(born 3 August 1977) is a former
128:Shadow Minister of Communications
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1:
708:Ockham Communications website
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342:
234:
495:Who's Who of Southern Africa
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352:Resignation from Parliament
271:in South African politics.
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751:
297:African National Congress
251:. His interests include
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40:Shadow Minister of Energy
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35:
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275:Political Communications
16:South African politician
245:University of Cape Town
307:Member of Parliament
249:University of London
225:Member of Parliament
323:of Communications.
261:public broadcasting
229:Democratic Alliance
209:Democratic Alliance
172:Phumzile van Damme
381:People's Assembly
299:in Johannesburg.
257:electoral systems
241:Rhodes University
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575:. Archived from
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395:. Archived from
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332:Ellen Tshabalala
182:Personal details
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110:Annette Lovemore
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579:on 31 July 2014
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399:on 4 March 2016
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321:Shadow Minister
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205:Political party
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98:Angie Motshekga
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361:and former MP
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735:Living people
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363:Nick Clelland
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72:Gordon Mackay
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581:. Retrieved
577:the original
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479:
468:
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435:
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401:. Retrieved
397:the original
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330:Chairperson
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310:
301:
293:
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281:Western Cape
278:
265:social media
238:
220:
219:
167:Succeeded by
160:Marian Shinn
134:
117:Succeeded by
84:
46:
18:
730:1977 births
285:Helen Zille
221:Gavin Davis
195:Nationality
155:Preceded by
105:Preceded by
67:Preceded by
60:Jeff Radebe
25:Gavin Davis
719:Categories
403:1 November
369:References
343:Liberalism
269:liberalism
235:Background
359:Tony Leon
253:education
144:Shadowing
135:In office
122:Ian Ollis
94:Shadowing
85:In office
56:Shadowing
47:In office
247:and the
227:for the
583:30 July
243:, the
585:2014
405:2015
328:SABC
313:Whip
267:and
187:Born
721::
283:,
263:,
255:,
29:MP
587:.
407:.
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