The Democratic Alliance must bring South Africans together in order to build a single nation with a shared future. This was the message of DA leader Helen Zille to nearly 1 700 delegates gathered for the party’s Federal Congress in Boksburg on Gauteng’s East Rand today. Zille says reconciliation, redress, delivery and diversity are not simply words, but constitute values that all members of the party must live by. She says those that do not share these values have no place within the party
“The DA is not a party for racists. It is not a party for sexists, xenophobes or homophobes. It is not a party for people who think that life was better under apartheid,” says Zille.
She says the party wants to build a better life for all. “It is not a white party, or a black party, or a brown party. It is a South African party, for all the people, united in the pursuit of a better life for everyone.”
Zille went on to say that many South Africans have not glimpsed the promise of freedom offered by South Africa’s first democratic election as they remain as oppressed as they were under apartheid. She says too many people are losing hope in the future, particularly those who still have no access to quality education, jobs, homes and opportunities to build a better life.
Zille says the party is building a bridge between South Africa’s past and future as well as from apartheid to real freedom.
“Freedom means little if you cannot find a job. Freedom means even less if our children have no textbooks. Freedom means nothing if it gives politicians licence to steal people’s money. Freedom loses its value if people live in constant fear of criminals in their homes and on the streets. Freedom is hollow if people who suffered under apartheid remain trapped in poverty.”
She says the opportunity to build a better life is happening in the places where the party is in government. Zille says the party is building a bridge between South Africa’s past and future as well as from apartheid to real freedom. She says the party which has as its mission, the vision of being the governing party, is determined to work until every South African can realise their potential.
“There is a myth that Cape Town is more unequal than other South African cities. This not true. Last year, the United Nations published a report called the “State of World Cities”. It shows that there is a smaller gap between the rich and poor in Cape Town than in any other South African City. The City of Cape Town gives nearly 2 million people free basic services every day. Across the whole province, 90% of people have flush toilets, 99% have piped water, and 93% have access to electricity. There is a long way to go but we are closing the gap between the rich and the poor. We will not stop working until everybody in South Africa has freedom they can use.”
Click on link below to watch the SABC’s broadcast of Zille’s opening address.
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