Real meaning of transformation

TOMORROW the DA holds its federal congress in the politically contested city of Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Not only will this congress kick-start the DA election campaign for 2016, but it is significantly being held in a metro the DA is most likely to win outside of Cape Town.

Over the last month, there has been vigorous contestation between various party members, each with different leadership styles and offerings, for federal chairperson position. This can only be good for democracy.

The DA and its predecessor parties have been led by many visionary leaders, but their vision will only truly be recognised once we reach our ultimate objective of becoming a national government for all South Africans.

Those who gathered in Kliptown in 1955 to give birth to the Freedom Charter of the ANC wanted their party to become a government for all the people, as espoused in its preamble. Sadly, the ANC has lost its way, largely due to the polarising consequences of their racial nationalism bent.

Former President Nelson Mandela personified the essence of reconciliation and guided our nation through a precipitous period post1994. Tony Leon led the DP into a process of reconciliation. Helen Zille took the baton and championed a process of turning the DA into a political home for all South Africans.

Not only have these initiatives resulted in a proliferation of blue DA T-shirts in communities in all corners of our land, it has also led to the DA winning power in one of the nine provinces and winning 27 municipalities.

Our party today sets its eye and heart on winning many more councils in 2016, including the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, and the Tshwane and Johannesburg metros. These achievements could not have be attained had the DA not been a party for all South Africans. Nor could our objectives be set. A quick look at the scoreboard reveals that our opponents misrepresent us as a white party.

The DA’s achievements are of critical importance to the future. We are the thin blue line against the travails of racial and ethnic nationalism that have befallen other post-colonial African countries.

Transformation in South Africa under an ANC government has become premised on race and racial stereotyping. But neither race nor the colour of one’s skin determine one’s integrity. These depend on honesty, compassion and other human values.

Race and racial stereotyping, though somewhat understandable, serves only to perpetuate the psychotic legacy of apartheid.

The DA in the Eastern Cape has defied all expectations and stereotypical political projections by political commentators by continuing to make impressive inroads into ANC strongholds across the province.

Not only has our steady growth been at the expense of the ANC but of all the other opposition parties that contest for votes in this province of black African leaders. We have seen the first breakaway party from the ANC, Bantu Holomisa’s UDM and then Mosiuoa Lekota’s Congress of the People. Just last week, South Africa witnessed a seismic shift in the political landscape when Daso won an historic SRC election at the University of Fort Hare, jumping from 20% of the vote two years ago, to win a majority of 53%.

The ANC has been in damage control mode ever since trying to spin the story of why Sasco lost because they know the next bastion to fall will be Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.

The DA’s political fortunes have been built on the practice of selecting and electing public representatives and leaders who are fit for purpose, regardless of race. This has proven to be a recipe for success in a bedrock ANC province such as the Eastern Cape and core values that must be upheld, not only in the party but in society.

Transformation that leads to the normalisation of an abnormal society cannot be contrived and predicated on racial nationalism and racial classification; it is based on the genuine transformation of the soul.

I believe this is best described by one of South Africa’s great anti-apartheid activists, Alan Paton where he defined liberalism: “By liberalism I don’t mean the creed of any century. I mean a generosity of spirit, a tolerance of others, an attempt to comprehend otherness, a commitment to the rule of law, a high ideal of the worth and dignity of man….. True liberalism does not need qualifications”.

Any qualification of this philosophy erodes the DA’s ideals of becoming a party for all South Africans.

Athol Trollip is an MPL, has led the DA in the Eastern Cape since 2002 and is a candidate for the position of federal chairperson