Is it black? Is it white? No, it's an alliance for all, says DA leader Mmusi Maimane

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says those who think the party belongs to one race shouldn't be in the DA.

Addressing a community meeting at St Paul's Anglican Church in Port Alfred, in the Eastern Cape, on Thursday, he said the DA was a party for all South Africans.

This comes after the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) said Maimane must be replaced by “a white man in the Western Cape” to promote non-racialism in SA.

“If you get black people who think the DA is only for blacks, then they shouldn't be in the DA.

“If you get white people who think the DA should only be for whites, then you shouldn't be in the DA. We want a party for all South Africans,” said Maimane.

He said he may not speak Afrikaans, but that didn't mean he would not protect Afrikaans speakers.

“I might not speak Afrikaans, but it is in my interest to protect anyone who speaks it, because if we give up Afrikaans, tomorrow we will be talking about Zulu, Xhosa, then divide society even further.

“We need to work together to protect the rights of all South Africans,” he said.

On unity, the embattled leader said South Africans “must work together as a collective”, regardless of race.

“In SA, we unite ourselves with whatever race we are part of. If you are black you say I'm better with blacks, and if you white you say you are better with white people.

“It is our vision that we must work together as a collective. It is important to me that I won't give up on that.

“Sometimes when you tell people you want to build one SA for all they don't vote for you because they are scared,” said Maimane.

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