DA sets sights on KZN students

KWAZULU-Natal DA leader Zwakele Mncwango took the voter registration campaign to the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Westville campus yesterday.

Independent Media reporter Zimasa Matiwane spoke to him about the party’s plans to grow support by targeting the youth vote.

1.Beyond voter registration, what does the DA aim to achieve with this visit to UKZN?

We need to drive young people to go and register to vote. Young people make up the majority of the population. Whichever party is serious about increasing its support in 2019 will need to reach young people.

2. Has the DA been relevant enough to young people?

We have been lacking in communicating and articulating our policies with young people. They are worried about their futures, about joblessness when they complete their degrees. I will be launching a campaign where volunteers will be well versed in DA policies and go door to door to strengthen interactions with voters.

3. The EFF has made major inroads in university politics, how does the DA aim to become relevant in that constituency?

The EFF has taken a populist approach to politics, we cannot go that route. The DA will engage with students on their challenges, be realistic in its promises but most of all come up, together with them, with practical ways to solve their problems. We also have a presence at UKZN through the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation.