DA will deliver – and end discrimination

THE DA is the most diverse party that represents all races in South Africa and the province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is the only party that has elected mayoral candidates from all race groups in South Africa.

The ANC failed to appoint a single mayoral candidate from the Indian community, yet they claim to be a party for all.

A week from today, voters will have an opportunity to choose a party and a councillor to represent their interests at local level for the next five years. To do this, voters rely on a number of factors, but the most important should be the ability of the party to deliver fairly and consistently.

There are really only two political parties in South Africa with a track record of delivery and governance. Since 1994, the DA has grown from a party which won 1.7% of the vote to a party where one in four South Africans vote for it. We now govern more than 26 municipalities.

In the upcoming election, this number is likely to grow with the groundswell of support for the DA in eThekwini, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Tshwane.

Of the 10 best-run municipalities in South Africa, the DA runs nine. Of the 10 worst-run, all are run by the ANC. There is a clear correlation between good governance under a DA government and poor service delivery under an ANC one.

This is why millions of voters are moving towards the DA and many political analysts have predicted the largest-ever growth for the DA in the upcoming election and the worst possible decline for the ANC.

Accountable

The reason is simple. As our democracy matures, more voters are beginning to put a value to their vote and moving away from voting on cultural, religious, racial and historical attachments. Voters are starting to realise the real meaning of democracy: the power of their vote and importance of holding failed politicians and parties accountable for their delivery record – or lack of one.

Systematic corruption by ANC-led governments has awoken voters to the reality that their hard-earned tax rands are being stolen by the same politicians elected to provide a better future for our country and communities.

However, there are other major reasons why Indian voters have moved from the ANC and found a political home in the DA. They relate to the unrelenting discrimination against voters of Indian origin.

Almost every aspect of delivery in South Africa has become race-based and does not favour Indian voters.

Recently, the eThekwini municipality resolved to allocate only 1% of houses built in Cornubia to be shared among minority voters: so for every 300 houses built, Indian families will be entitled to only one.

In addition, in several recent cases Indians were sidelined for promotions in the workplace because of their race, driving a further wedge between the ANC and minority communities.

Just last week, Jacob Zuma made the most racist of comments when he said: “In China, the Chinese rule, in India, the Indians are in power; it is only here in SA that we allow other people to govern”. He clearly believes minorities have no place in governing South Africa.

It is obvious to all that the ANC of today has given up on Nelson Mandela’s rainbow nation and is hell-bent on a nationalist agenda at the expense of minorities.

Racial quotas around university access have long been a bone of contention. For years, the Indian community has struggled to gain equal and fair access to medical universities, which have been forced by the ANC to implement racebased quota systems.

As the election looms closer, the ANC suddenly behaves as if the party cares by calling for the support of minorities, Indians especially; calling for meetings with university management.

This is nothing more that a pre-election PR exercise. Voters know well that this trick was pulled in the previous election and nothing has changed since then.

The DA understands that voters of Indian origin ask for nothing different from any other race group.

Fairness, equality, value for money and effective service delivery are the driving factors.

The ANC fails in all of these categories while the DA, on the other hand, has built a reputation of clean governance and fairness.

The Indian community commands a massive swing vote in KZN. Their numbers can tilt the balance in favour of one political party or another. And yet the ANC has continued to abuse this community.

Indications are very clear that the turn-out among Indian voters in the elections this year will be historical in many respects.

The levels of frustration and anger with the unfair policies of the ruling party have sparked a newfound anger among Indian voters.

And this is not only in eThekwini but in municipalities across South Africa.

Voters of Indian origin will be standing up for their community next Wednesday and joining millions of South Africans to bring change to our beautiful country.

The time to put it back on track and rekindle the ideals of Madiba’s rainbow nation will be our driving force.