In the old days, people of colour were not allowed to speak for themselves in South African politics. They were instead spoken for by white representatives.
As it was in the country then, so it is in the DA today. The resignation of its Gauteng leader John Moodey this month continues the trend which has seen the party lose virtually its entire cohort of leaders of colour: Aunty Pat, Wilmot James, Lindiwe Mazibuko, Mmusi Maimane, Herman Mashaba.
Of the few who survive, expect another wave of departures after the party’s electoral conference in November. Party insiders say they brought Helen Zille back because they were terrified of losing support to the FF+, and that’s what’s driven the exodus.
When challenged on the departures, DA leaders say they don’t see colour. They don’t see colour; it must be pure coincidence that when they look around the room those they see holding the levers of power whose voices count, are almost exclusively white. The DA depends for its oxygen on the votes of people of colour.
Without them it could not lead the Western Cape. But it speaks on its supporters behalf; it doesn’t allow them a direct voice. And, similar to the native representativesof the old days, they have no real interest in improving the conditions in which those they represent live. The greatest beneficiary of this racial manipulation is the ruling ANC which knows that its racialised official opposition can never seriously challenge it for power.
The greatest losers are those who support the DA out of dislike for the ANC or black leadership without questioning why, under the DA, they continue to live in overcrowded, under-serviced and unsafe ghettos.
The old parties are marooned in the quicksands of history.
They have failed to evolve beyond the 1994 context. Neither holds the necessary solutions and integrity to truly fix the country, for all.
What the GOOD Movement is about is building a safe space for South Africans to fashion new alternatives to true community representation and power.
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