DA is desperate to find past hero

DA leader Mmusi Maimane has compared himself to Nelson Mandela, and said that on his travels around the country, many constituents told him that he reminded them of the leadership qualities of Madiba.

This is not an April Fool’s joke. The DA has appropriated Madiba many times in support of their electioneering.

Madiba is regarded as the universally admired property of the international community, it is ludicrous for any political party to appropriate Mandela for political expediency.

Mandela was the beloved president of all South Africans, but politically, he was fiercely loyal to his ANC. It is shameful for the DA to link themselves to the great man when he is not here to answer.

Madiba is on record as calling the DA a “little Mickey Mouse party” of white bosses and black stooges.

Ever since Mmusi Maimane became DA leader there have been a growing number of white faces on the DA parliamentary benches, and the national racial demographic is poorly represented.

It’s the usual example of a Cappuccino political party with black coffee underneath and a thin white layer of snow white cream on top.

I am sure the reason why the DA continues to associate itself with Mandela, is that they are desperate to find any leader of such magnificent stature in their past.

The DA morphed from the original snow white Progressive Party which then became the Progressive Federal Party and then the Democratic Party, and finally merged with the much tainted National Party to become the DA, hence the “alliance” suffix in the DA party title. The little party absorbed many of the apartheid National Party dinosaurs.

The influx of the right-wing Nats caused the DA to become even less liberal. A few Nats did join the ANC like Marthinus van Schalkwyk, but the numbers were insignificant.

In the DA’s history, which leader can they produce to rival the likes of Mandela, Sisulu, Tambo and a host of other iconic freedom fighters?

Helen Suzman may come closest, but even she was suspect as she was a well paid member sitting safely in the apartheid-era Parliament, not venturing onto the streets to defy the apartheid monster.

She was a pale shadow of her ANC namesake Helen Joseph who constantly risked her life and suffered greatly in pursuit of freedom. Maybe Frederik van Zyl Slabbert could be touted. He had the spine to resign his leadership citing the ineffectiveness of the DA in Parliament.

Instead of making ridiculous assertions about Madiba to garner crucial African voter support, Mmusi should concentrate on transforming the DA parliamentary representation to mirror the national demographic so that African voters can see their likeness in the House, and hear their aspirations being advanced in that forum.

Instead of a bankrupt constant wailing against the governing party, Mmusi and his party would gain more African admirers if he concentrated on expounding on his own party’s policies. And he could also endeavour to create the DA’s own genuine heroes in this democratic era. Azania Mboya Hillbrow, Joburg

Ridiculous assertions about Madiba