Upcoming election watershed moment for SA

For the sake of the entire country, the election next year will undoubtedly be the most important ever to have been held in SA, even taking cognisance of the first democratic election in 1994.

This election will not have the sordid baggage of the apartheid days hanging in the background.

This election will be a truly national experience for the entire country, with white citizens voting for black leaders and black citizens voting for white leaders.

Provided that sense prevails and the election procedure, as per the instructions of the Constitutional Court is settled in time, the election results should be celebrated by the majority of the country.

My main concern right now is the make-up of the parties standing for election.

At the moment there appear to be dozens of different groups registering for the election, this will not succeed.

The ANC have messed up the country, opposition polls all agree on this, but only one united opposition will succeed in overcoming them, 20 small units will not do so.

The problem is that everyone wants to be the leader.

A typical example of this occurred in Johannesburg three weeks ago, when the council attempted to elect a new mayor.

The combined opposition decided on their choice, the DA decided otherwise and demanded that their councillor should be appointed. What happened? Their mayor received 68 votes, their party votes, and as a result, the ANC won the day and their councillor became mayor.

Had the DA been prepared to accept the best possible result and not been determined to lead the choice of the majority of the opposition, the Johannesburg council would now be controlled by the opposition and not the ANC.

This situation, however, should have been anticipated, had one taken note of the comments made by the DA leadership at their successful conference a few weeks earlier.

The first comments of note at the conference, were uttered by a senior leader of the DA when asked by the media who they would elect as their leader, he replied that they were not there to elect a DA leader, but the next SA president.

What a stupid remark. With our history, how could anyone even suggest that a white person could be elected to the presidency.

Then John Steenhuisen in his final speech, having referred to the possibility of a united opposition, expanded and made some sensible proposals regarding arranging a meeting with all the opposition parties to formulate a plan going forward.

These were all positive suggestions.

He then ruined everything by stating that as the DA was the largest opposition, they would lead the new coalition to be formed.

What utter arrogance. How can the DA presume that they would be the largest party in this coalition?

In fact, it must never be termed a coalition.

They will have to form a new party with a binding constitution.

This group would during negotiations find their own leader, a leader accepted by all South Africans.

I only plead for a leader who desires the best for all and not the personal glory that some of them appear to be seeking presently.

For all those who want change, don’t just think about it and expect others to contribute to what should be a large voter turnout. Do your part and vote on election day.

Trevor Bradfield, Walmer