Most political parties will say anything to win votes. This includes branding themselves with broad philosophies. Since the vote of a vagrant and professor is the same, serious acrobatics is required.
However, deep down, hidden from the voter, most political parties have a racial, cultural undertone.
Example, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is a progeny of the Democratic Party (DP) which was progeny of the Progressive Federal Party (PFP) which has its origins in South Africa’s British Colonial past.
The African National Congress (ANC) is exactly that, African and nationalistic.
The ANC has always expressed concerned with the well-being of Africans first and colored’s and Indians afterwards. I heard this myself at a ANC rally years ago uttered by Pres. Kgalema Motlanthe.
Recently a colored General was fired from the South African police. The General alleged African discrimination against coloreds in the Police service.
Similarly, whenever blacks or coloreds exit the DA they usually scream racism. Example, ex-Mayor Patricia De Lille who was a DA champion until tables were turned. Then came the allegations of racism which oddly she never mentioned before.
My point is simple, if we analyze how coloreds, whites and Indians are treated by the ANC we witness an African bias. In Cape Town, the ANC doesn’t have a Muslim or White or Indian Councillor.
Similarly, the way the “university qualification” scandal is handled by the DA, suggests a white bias.
Again, my point is simple, colored people must stop blaming the ANC and DA etc. for a lack of ability to create a political platform for themselves. Since South African history is based on discrimination, only an ignorant fool will consider that discrimination will disappear by itself. To believe, Black or White politicians will hand over power to coloreds is stupid, as anyone with power wants to hold on.
Thus each community should vote for its own political party and then allow its leaders to negotiate with big parties to share authority. Power sharing is the future of local, national and global politics.
To believe otherwise is political ignorance as coloreds and Indians will always stand behind blacks inside the ANC and behind whites inside the DA. There is absolutely nothing wrong with broad based group or community based political parties. It is common across Europe and the world.
Example, In Israel, religious people vote for religious parties, secularists vote for secular parties, the left and right wing vote for their parties. Russian Jews vote for Russian Jews. In the end they all got together to remove Prime Minister Netanyahu who oddly won the most votes in the recent election.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress