Daily Dispatch

Steenhuise­n asks DA delegates to support policy to do away with race

- APHIWE DEKLERK

DA interim leader John Steenhuise­n has written a letter to party delegates asking them to support the party’s resolution to embrace non-racialism and do away with race.

His letter comes as the party gears up for its elective conference later this month.

“In support of the recent decision taken by our policy conference, I’d firstly like to ask you to support my resolution confirming that the DA wants a non-racial future for

SA, ” he said.

“Adopting this resolution will position us as the only political party in the country that unequivoca­lly rejects the dangerous ideology of multiracia­lism, as well as the use of race as a way to categorise people in legislatio­n, and commits the DA to actively working in government to end the practice of classifyin­g and treating people on the basis of race. ”

Steenhuise­n ’ s letter comes as the race for party leadership is hotting up.

He is due to go up against KwaZulu-Natal MPL Mbali Ntuli for the position of party leader.

In his letter, Steenhuise­n said embracing non-racialism also holds the key to designing empowermen­t policies that work for millions of South Africans still trapped in poverty and locked out of opportunit­y.

That is why I have submitted another resolution confirming the DA’s embrace of meansteste­d empowermen­t, which will put an end to the politicall­y connected enriching themselves and ensure that empowermen­t policies benefit the 30 million citizens surviving on less than R992 per month,” he said.

Steenhuise­n said the DA was more focused than ever on removing power from the “incapable” state and giving it to the people of SA.

It is a battle we are waging with more vigour than ever before, because we know that our country will only succeed if the DA succeeds,” he said.

“It is with this task in mind that I have submitted a number of resolution­s that will be considered by the federal congress at the end of October.”

He said meaningful empowermen­t could only happen where there is sustainabl­e economic growth.

Both our economy and our environmen­t are being held hostage by the current national government ’ s obsession with protecting state-owned enterprise­s like Eskom and SAA.

“The result of this obsession with state control makes it impossible for private citizens and companies to solve the electricit­y crisis, while simultaneo­usly preventing a transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy.”

 ??  ?? JOHN STEENHUISE­N
JOHN STEENHUISE­N

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