Form a new party - Zille
Image by: SIMPHIWE NKWALI
DA leader Helen Zille - who is standing for another term as party leader - has called for the formation of a new political party to challenge the ruling ANC.
Addressing the Cape Town Press Club yesterday, Zille said the historical roots of the current political parties were making it difficult for them to challenge the dominant position of the ANC alone.
"The truth is none of our existing political parties, as currently constituted, can credibly offer this on their own. It's time for political leaders to catch up with reality," she said.
Zille has called on "constitutionalists" both within the ANC and in other political parties to "take the plunge" and move out of their comfort zones into a new political formation that would be guided by the four core values of:
Defending the constitution;
Nurturing non-racialism;
Growing a regulated, market-driven economy to achieve growth; and
Building a competent state that puts competence above loyalty and punishes corruption.
Commitment to these core values was non-negotiable, said Zille.
The new party would adopt the National Development Plan, which she said was similar to the DA's Growth and Jobs Plan, as its blueprint for governing.
Zille said the current leadership battles in the ANC and its alliance partners had pitted "constitutionalists" against populists who abuse institutions of state to pursue narrow political agendas, who see the constitution as a barrier to their progress and who mobilise on the basis of racial nationalism.
She said this had created contradictions that the ANC was failing to manage.
These contradictions, she said, presented an opportunity for those who are committed to the constitution, non-racialism and a market-driven economy to leave the ANC and join a new political formation.
"The big question is: can a clean break happen in time so that the constitutionalists, wherever they currently find themselves, can build a new majority and implement a plan that defuses the time bomb of youth unemployment?"
Zille said she had spoken to various political figures in and outside the ANC about her proposal.
She said there were many who agreed with her view, but were afraid to move out of their comfort zones.
"The comfort of incumbency too often trumps the insecurity of moving into the unknown," she said.
The DA has been wooing smaller opposition parties to join it in its fight to reduce ANC dominance. It concluded a merger with the Independent Democrats just before the 2011 elections, which resulted in a deal that saw that party's leader Patricia de Lille taking over as mayor of Cape Town.
It has also courted COPE, but that party's internal squabbles, which have resulted in court battles, have overshadowed talks.
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Posted 237 days agomuk2
Posted 237 days agoSuiGeneris
Posted 237 days agoDo we have selfless leaders who will be prepared to do this in the interest of a better SA ?
No !
They just turn a blind eye as they are mostly driven by self-interest and greed and content with their seat on the gravy-train !
MicaParis
Posted 237 days agoI agree comrade Zille something unique and special is needed to maintain balance in our political climate.
Robrt5Mugabe99
Knowing very well that the elective conference for DA is nearer, coming with such proposition for Hellen Zille is very rich, provided Lindiwe Mazibuko is suppose to step up. After, long predictions by analysts it has come to conclusion yes indeed that DA is a racists party will never survive under the leadership of a black person. We wont be surpised by Hellen Zille forming her new party should Lindiwe get elected of which DA is on sport light here to prove if they really transformed or not , if they dont elect Lindiwe as a DA leader that would be an end of DA and electing Lindiwe coloreds and whites in the WCape will distance themeselves with DA.
Get up to date with politcs, it has nothing to do with ANC the ANC has exceeded where the apartheid regime failed yes there are minor issues specifically in the Municipal level but stratetigical the ANC is on top
SuiGeneris
Hahaha !
minor issues ??????????
Municipal level.....Minor issues ??????
ANC is on top ?????......Of What ? A very narrow ledge, drunk with incompetence and ready to take the inevitable plunge into the bottomless abyss ?
Soon !
Loggenberg
The ANC is dead, has been dead for a long time. It's only SARS collections keeping them "moving"
MicaParis
@MicaParis, I think you have miss the plot technically, this is a prove ''for you'' (delete) that politically you are immature , politics is a science , ''if you miss this you are down and out.'' (rephrase) or delete!
Knowing very well that the elective conference for ''the'' DA is nearer, coming with such proposition for Hellen Zille is very rich, provided Lindiwe Mazibuko is suppose to step up. After, long predictions by analysts it has come to conclusion yes indeed that ''the'' DA is a racists party will never survive under the leadership of a black person. We wont be surpised by Hellen Zille forming her new party should Lindiwe get elected of which DA is on sport light here to prove if they really transformed or not , if they dont elect Lindiwe as a DA leader that would be an end of DA and electing Lindiwe coloreds and whites in the WCape will distance themeselves with DA. (trying to correct your ''blabber'' is nothing but suicide comrade)
Get up to date with politcs *(politics)*, it has nothing to do with ANC the ANC has exceeded where the apartheid regime failed yes there are minor issues specifically in the Municipal level but stratetigical *(strategical)* the ANC is on top ***(rephrase or delete), I can hardly get the meaning***
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Comrade Mugabe, ''go back to school'' so that the ANC can have ''good future prospects'' for the Young Lions or Communists! Are you going to ''write'' like that with your European or American Counterparts or may be talk English with them like that in case you become a ‘’leader’’ and that will be in the 21 century under the new dispensation, clearly they will laugh at you my Chief! Mugabe at list ''doctor'' your comments before posting, even top academics make mistakes and typos, we need to clearly understand what you have written!
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I was former ANCYL Chairperson and Regional Organiser for the ANC. I am currently a SGM in the Presidency, Policy and Legal Developer of the ANC, serving in Presidential Economic Advisory Council and a consultant for Petro SA. I have written many law articles and many media articles in the Daily Maverick and Sunday Independence and other media platforms! Do not be silly you will never find **Mica Paris** in the Presidency or ANC advisory councils or on any media articles as that is not my **real name**! Unlike many ‘’comrades’’ I did not ‘’get deployed’’ where I am but only there on merit and Zuma did not bring me to Presidency, he found me already working there!
My advice to you Mugabe and once more please ****go back to school*** you are a laughing stock on this blog! I am saying that because I love you so much my comrade, get educated, education is the means by which any mortal being can make and talk sense unless you proclaim yourself to have spiritual powers!
Robrt5Mugabe99
The fact of the matter is, you got what I told you, there issue of being fluent when chatting on a blog is irrelevant , since we are involved on informal conversation.
Coming to my academic background Im quiet convince my qualifications are more superior/technical than yours if I can ask you what have you studied you will tell me of political science or soft subjects.
I am proud of my qualifications very proud and my parents did invest on me.
Since I have known you, it has come to my conclusion that your problem is very serious which relates to reading , understanding and applying your analytical skills which resulted you being under utilised in your workplace
rahima
"Im quiet convince my qualifications are more superior/technical than yours"
WA wa. Mine is bigger than yours. Grow up!
Stirrer
Posted 237 days ago"UDF unites - corruption divides!"
dopla1967
Posted 237 days agoNAC4Life
i_stub_born
ANC4 rife(corruption, that is)...........
bugsy
RSA.MommaCyndi
Don't thing that is limited to the opposition parties. If half our ministers even bother to turn up in parliament, they sleep through it all.
TshegofatsoTshehla
Posted 237 days agodopla1967
Posted 236 days agoStirrer
Loggenberg
Posted 236 days agoUDFSupporter
Posted 236 days agoelguevara
Posted 236 days agoYour party continues to be funded by imperialists who continue to exploit our people and the mineral resources.
And now you want the support of smaller parties to prop you up as the Republic's President. Amazing how manipulative and scheming you are!
RSA.MommaCyndi
Posted 236 days agoI agree that we need a party which will be a true threat to the ANC but, at the moment, we have so many little niche parties and the spectacular bellyflop by COPE will make it difficult to get a new party off the ground. That makes me question if we can ever have a working democracy in SA. We created mankind here, maybe we should look at creating a new governing system?
Stirrer
1) A strong party is formed to challenge the ANC
2) The ANC is divided into splinter breakaway parties
3) A combination of the two
Option 1 will require sacrifice and commitment by the opposition parties.
Option 2 will require credible leaders with large enough followings.
- both these options will take a long time if pursued individually (which we cannot afford - what with all the frenzied feeding going on at the trough)
This leaves Option 3, which should reduce the feeding time available!
(one could argue that this is already happening - the DA already incorporates former independent political parties, and UDM and COPE are examples of breakaway parties)
RSA.MommaCyndi
I'm actually questioning if it wouldn't be better to not have any political parties at all in Africa. The supporters are akin to religious fanatics and (like their zealot cousins) logic is just thrown right out the window. It completely bypasses any thought of what is best for the COUNTRY - instead it turns into some kind of gang war where the allegiance to the 'gang' is more important than anything else. If that wasn't true, we wouldn't have our current President - that is for sure.
What works in the 'west' very often doesn't work in Africa, We have a different way of interacting. That is why I believe that a new form of democracy should be looked at. Maybe taking the US idea of semi independent states and having a representational committee type of set up to run them?
Stirrer
We moved far too quickly into unadulterated Capitalism, which benefitted the rich minority of all shades (and widened an already wide gap), while the majority were desperate for a prolonged program of a more Socialist leaning to uplift them.
cANCerSurvivor
Ruudboy
Posted 236 days agoolibo
Posted 236 days agoLet Zille and the DA take the fight for economic freedom of the black masses and they will be guaranteed a majority win in 2014 elections.
RSA.MommaCyndi
ma1c01mx
Here are couple of things that concerns me.
1. Who will lead the party .Is Ms Zille prepared to come to the table as a concerned politician or as the official opposition.With the latter I foresee problems as this will alienate the others.
2.Ms Zille is already talking of a plan which is drawn up by the DA for implementation.Are the DA prepared to listen to the other minority parties as they will obviously not agree with every thing in that document and they will want to add and remove things as well.
3.Ms Zille are using Ms De Lille as a example which I think is a bad thing reason being that if you join up with the DA then you will be guarenteed a position.Please do not underestimate the South African voter we have evolved irrespective of what is seen and read in the media.
4.The DA wont get my vote as a ordinary worker(which happens to be the majority) because they support employment agency's which take away your right as a citizen of this country for permanent employment.