SA Today: Why the DA is Marching for Jobs

Note to Editors: This SA Today is drawn from an interview that appeared in the Sunday Times on the 26th January 2014 from Chris Barron.

Today, we take an unusual approach to this newsletter, that focuses on topical issues and set out the DA's position. One of the talking points of the past week was the DA's planned 4 February march to Luthuli House. Many people have asked why we are doing this and what we are seeking to achieve.

Instead of the usual "essay" format, this newsletter reproduces the question-and-answer format of Chris Barron's "So Many Questions" in the Sunday Times.

The Democratic Alliance will mobilise 6 000 people to march on the ANC's headquarters next month. Chris Barron asked DA leader Helen Zille... 

Why? 

To highlight the difference between the ANC's offer on jobs in their manifesto and the DA's offer on jobs in our manifesto. 

How is this going to do that? 

We are going to expose the ANC's bogus promise of six million jobs and contrast that with our offer on jobs. 

How will marching on Luthuli House do that? 

Luthuli House is the locus of the ANC, and we are talking about the ANC manifesto. This election is about contrasting manifestos. And we can do that in a very graphic way by taking our march for six million real jobs, not six million bogus EPWP [expanded public works programme] jobs, to the ANC headquarters to highlight that difference. And it does it very graphically. 

If it degenerates into violence, won't that detract from your message? 

That will make another point. That is that the ANC undermines the constitution and does not respect the rights of others under the constitution to march and to protest and to make their point.

Are you hoping that the ANC will retaliate? 

I'm hoping that we can make our point and that we can exercise our rights peacefully under the constitution. 

Wouldn't it be a bit of an anticlimax if the ANC ignored you? 

Not at all. We will make our point then as we are making our point now. 

In a manner that is deliberately provocative? 

What is provocative about anybody exercising their rights under a democracy? I have marches to my office every single week. 

Aren't you putting your followers at risk? 

We've taken very careful steps and we're planning very careful measures to ensure that they are not at risk. 

This is what you said before your march to Cosatu House, isn't it? 

It absolutely is. We had a right to march, we had all the permissions to march, and we didn't throw stones. 

But stones were thrown and people were hurt, and that is almost certain to happen again this time, isn't it? 

I think you'd better put that question to the ANC, the ANC Youth League and the South African Communist Party. They're the people who have been threatening violence, not the DA. 

Is there any point in pretending we live in a mature democracy? 

That's the point we're making. We have a constitution and we have to uphold it. And because one side will not uphold it doesn't mean to say that the other people have to forfeit their rights under it. 

Aren't you cynically provoking the ANC to do their worst? 

Well, this is the most amazing thing. The ANC threatens violence and the DA gets asked why they are exercising their rights. Shouldn't people be asking the ANC why they are threatening violence? 

The bottom line is that there is going to be violence, chaos, tear gas - do we really need this? 

I sincerely hope there won't be. And I trust that all the commentators will call on the ANC to respect the constitution and the rights of others. But if they still insist on violating our rights, it will underscore once again what kind of an organisation the ANC is. 

Is this the real point of the march? 

The point of the march is to show up the ANC's failure to create jobs and the bogus promises in their manifesto. Our job as the official opposition is to expose the lies in their manifesto. We would be neglecting our duty if we didn't do that. We have a commitment in our manifesto that, ironically, has been modelled by the National Treasury and found that in fact the DA's policy will create six million real jobs. It is the bogus promise against our commitment that we're trying to highlight. We didn't put the other issue on the agenda. By their threats of violence, the ANC has put that issue on the agenda. 

So your real intention is not to demonstrate the ANC's intolerance? 

Only the ANC can demonstrate their intolerance. 

And if they do and people are hurt, perhaps killed, would the march be worth it? 

You must ask the ANC whether it would be worth it. 

I'm asking you. 

It's the ANC that would be putting lives at risk. 

But you'll be putting the lives of your own followers at risk? 

No. You will see on the day of the march what extraordinary precautions we are taking to ensure that our followers are not at risk. And we trust that the police will also do their duty and, for once, arrest those perpetrating violence against the DA. 

Does past experience suggest that such trust is warranted? 

I'm not optimistic. That is why we are going to take precautions that are not warranted in a democracy where people's rights are protected.

INTERVIEW ENDS

This item first appeared in SA Today, the online newsletter of DA leader, Helen Zille.

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