The DA can deliver a better life in the Eastern Cape

Note to editors: This is a speech extract given by DA leader Helen Zille,  in Cradock, Eastern Cape today.

It is exciting to be in Cradock today.

I am delighted to be accompanied by the DA Amahlati Constituency Leader, Nosimo Balindlela and DA Cradock Constituency, Leader Donald Smiles MP.

Under their leadership, the DA is growing fast here. New branches and structures are rapidly being created.

A new story is being written in the Eastern Cape.

Up to now, the ANC have treated the province as its natural electoral heartland. But more and more people are realising that while the ANC promises a better life, it is the DA which delivers a better life.

The DA is already transforming local government in South Africa day by day. And we are in government in the Western Cape and the city of Cape Town. 

Where the DA governs, we support strong communities, stand up for the weak, the sick, and the helpless.

The mark of the good society is not the contentment of the privileged, wealthy and strong, but our commitment to the poor and weak.

Our message to every South African is that where your circumstances now do not have to determine where you will end up. 

We say that where ever we get the chance to serve, you will receive opportunities to change your destiny.

But we can only do this if you register to vote and turn out to vote on the day of the general election. 

Politicians fear saying it, but the electorate gets the government they choose. 

In 2013, South Africans are voting with their feet for change.

The DA today is the only alternative to the ANC.

We are the only party which will be able to remove the ANC from power.

We are the only party that has grown in every election.  And we will continue to grow.  Our aim is to form the core of a new party by 2019.

This does not mean that things will stay the same for the next six years.

If the DA wins Gauteng and the Western Cape next year, we will be able to create opportunities for millions more people.

But there is an important reason why it will also help voters in the Eastern Cape.

The ANC are terrified that their grip on this province is loosening. They can feel it.

That is why the ANC arrived in Ngqeleni village yesterday to disrupt our meeting.  Hundreds of DA supporters came together to hold a rally in the community hall.  A handful of ANC supporters tried in vain to prevent the meeting going ahead.  They saw the future in that hall.  It is a true blue future, full of hope and optimism.  We aim to become the official opposition in the Eastern Cape in the next election.

That will be a very important development. More DA representatives in the provincial legislature will expose corruption and poor service delivery. 

The national parliament is being revived because our members of parliament fearlessly ask hard questions every day. Your Eastern Cape MPs are bringing the burning issues of this province direct to parliament. More MPs will bring more expertise to keep the ANC on its toes.

And I appeal directly to voters in the Eastern Cape who are disillusioned by the ANC: give the DA a chance next year by lending us your vote.  

The DA is the most diverse political party in South Africa today. We do not thrive on divisions, but on what we can do better together.  

We are the only party that can deliver real freedoms to every individual and community.

We are the only party with a solid track record of delivering jobs and essential services.

We know that South Africa will not be the country it can be until we fix our schools so that every child gets a decent education, and everybody gets to participate in a non-racial and inclusive economy.

We all share a desire for change.  But we are looking for more than just a change of ruling party. We want to change the direction of South Africa and restore people's confidence.

If everybody votes in next year's election we can bring the ANC below sixty percent of the vote nationally. 

We still have a lot of work to do to achieve our objectives. According to the IEC, 4 million young South Africans are not registered to vote in next year's election.

Imagine what we could do if all these young people registered and voted? The DA would be far closer to governing South Africa.

This would mean more jobs, better schools, more service delivery to the poor and less corruption.

And every vote across South Africa and the Eastern Cape will count.

We can change South Africa together.

Issued by the DA, September 22 2013

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