Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has promised the community of Chatsworth south of Durban to fight politicians who are trying to divide South Africans along racial lines, seemingly referring to the Economic Freedom Fighters Julius Malema’s recent statements branding most people of Indian origin racist.
Maimane was addressing a mainly Indian audience at the Christian Revival Centre. Chatsworth is a predominantly Indian township. Statements by Malema are still fresh in people’s minds.
They refused to go on camera, but refuted the claims saying they were damaging. The DA leader agreed.
“Our past is one of division that is why you find even political parties today standing up today wanting to divide people on the basis of race that sounds to me like apartheid but it tells me what’s happening in their case. It’s because they don’t have a vision for South Africa for all of us can work together to prosper our country. They want us to go backwards under oppression. That’s what they want us to do.”
Maimane avoided discussing problems facing the DA. Last week the party lost a court case against its Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille. “Where the DA is in government, whether allegations, we take a strong stance and we hold people to account, that is the principle we always uphold and I think actually it is a model for the future of our country because one day people will ask what did you do when you knew and you take action you make decisions on that basis.”
Chatsworth is one of the townships where crimes like hijacking and murder are rife. Maimane assured the community he would take their concerns to Parliament and promised to return to give them feedback. Yogashen Pillay
