BELIEVE IN TOMORROW

Dear Democrat

We stand at a unique moment in our history. We have a chance to offer hope at a time when many are losing faith.

Now, more than ever, South Africa needs a strong non-racial party committed to protecting our constitution and redressing the legacy of apartheid.

We must recognise that race shaped our identities and opportunities, but we mustn't keep people trapped in racial boxes. Our end goal must be to transcend race so that all may be truly free, both socially and economically.

There are millions of people in our country, of all backgrounds, who share the same values. They want the opportunity to work hard, to provide for their families and to live in peace. These are the people I will fight for if I am elected to lead the DA.

And I will fight against those who use racial mobilisation to divide our people. While others trade on the divisions of the past, I will position the DA as the party of tomorrow.

The future we want to build is a place where every individual has the freedom to make their own choices about the life they want to live. It is a place where every person has the power to improve their lives, because freedom means nothing without opportunities. I will put education entrepreneurship and individual empowerment at the heart of the DA's plans to grow the economy and create jobs.

We must equip all our children to compete on an equal footing in the global economy. This means moving away from the obsession with pass rates and focusing on the quality of education each child receives.

I want the DA to become the champion of small business, the party with the best ideas and the best policies to make South Africa a 'start-up' nation. Our empowerment programmes will be truly broad based, so that small businesses benefit, instead of the super-wealthy. We will ramp up infrastructure investment, delivering the critical infrastructure our economy needs to thrive again. We will slash unnecessary red tape to make it easier to start, run and grow a business.

And we will trade more with the rest of Africa - still our greatest, and most underused economic growth opportunity.

Never before have the political choices been so clear. The choice is between a growing economy and further job losses; between reviving non-racialism or re-igniting racial mobilisation.

If I am elected as Leader of the DA on 10 May, I will make sure that every South African knows what is at stake. I will work hard to reach the millions of people who agree with our values, but don't yet vote for us.

We will build a stronger DA for a better South Africa.

Signed

Mmusi Maimane

Issued by: Mmusi Maimane tor Leader campaign, Johannesburg, Gauteng, April 24 2015