The DA can win 30% of the vote and gain another 2 provinces in 2014
Note to editors: The following is an extract from a speech delivered by DA National Spokesperson, Lindiwe Mazibuko at the DA Mpumalanga Provincial Congress today.
DA Leader, Helen Zille
DA Leader in Mpumalanga Anthony Benadie,
DA Mpumalanga Chairperson James Masango,
Members
Colleagues
Special Guests and
Members of the Media,
Ngiyajabula ukuba nani namuhlanje kwi-nqunquthela yesifundazwe saseMpumalanga. Ngagcina ukuba la eMpumalanga ngesikhathi sikhankasela ukhetho lo hulumeni basekhaya ngo May 2011. On that day, I had the great pleasure of attending a rally in Mkhondo Constituency in a ward made up almost entirely of black voters and supporters of the DA. Almost the entire community turned up for the rally, clad in DA colours and singing DA election songs.
It was clear to me at the time that the DA in Mpumalanga had devoted a significant amount of energy to growing the party in all communities, and that this bears testament to the leadership of the DA Leader in Mpumalanga, Anthony Benadie.
Anthony's visionary strategy in the Local Government elections, to diversify the province's council lists by successfully fielding a diverse slate of candidates in wards where the DA has traditionally enjoyed support has inspired the party to think differently about how to implement its vision of an Open, Opportunity Society for All.
The voters of Mpumalanga rewarded Anthony's strategy handsomely with an increase in support by 27 000 votes showing that South Africans of all backgrounds are willing and ready to embrace the DA's vision for Redress, Reconciliation, Diversity and Delivery.
We must not rest on the laurels of our success during the Local Government Election; we must build on this success. Umsebenzi uqala manje!
Our Leader has already outlined the party's strategy for 2014:
We will continue to diversify the leadership of the party and ensure that our emerging leaders get the platforms they deserve.
Diversity is on of the cornerstones of our strategy for the DA's future growth. And diversity is about much more than winning more black votes for our party. Although this is a necessary condition for our growth, we are not trying to replace one race group or language group or gender group with another. What we must do is far more complex and revolutionary than that.
What we are building in the DA, step by step, is a party for all of South Africa's people. A political home for all, regardless of their race, gender, creed or orientation. We want to build a DA in which one day, Werner Pretorius can run for DA Leader against Thandokwakhe Sibiya; or Mbali Ntuli can run for Presidential Candidate against Cilliers Brink - and each of them has just as much chance of winning, and leading. Because South Africa is not complete without every single one of its rainbow people - and neither is the DA.
We will continue to build on our record of excellence in service delivery, so that when we present our offer to the voters at every election, it will be based on a sound record of governance and delivery for all.
We will intensify our campaign to build party structures at grass roots level in every corner of South Africa. These structures are the bed-rock of our success, because they give the DA lasting credibility among voters who have not enjoyed enough direct contact with the party in the past.
In addition to these steps, in ensuring that we provide South Africa with a credible alternative offer, we are currently reviewing all our policies with the goal of identifying what South Africa needs to do in order to achieve 8% economic growth. We strongly believe that if 8% growth is achieved, we will begin to tackle our unemployment crisis, encourage inward investment and lift millions of our people out of poverty.
Once we have implemented all these steps, we should be able to win 30% of the vote nationally and become the biggest party in Gauteng and the Northern Cape. A 30% national win would ensure that we gain 53 more seats in the National Assembly, 15 more seats in the National Council of Provinces 52 more seats provincial legislatures around the country. This would bring our total to 262, from the current 142 seats. A far cry from the dark days, when Helen Suzman was the only MP in Parliament who stood for the values that we stand for today. Imagine if she could see today how far we have come!
Malunga e-DA, masisebenzeni, silungiselele ukhetho luka-2014. Uma singawina 30% wamavoti, kuyosho ukuthi eMpumalanga siyokwazi ukukhulisa isibalo sabaholi abasimele ephalamende lesifundazwe sisibeke kumalunga angu-6, futhi siwine amavoti angu-20% esifundazweni.
Let me repeat this very important statistic, so that we all understand it: If we win 30% of the vote in 2014, it would mean that in Mpumalanga, we would be able to increase the representatives in the Provincial Legislature to six members, send six MPs from Mpumalanga to the National Parliament, and win 20% of the vote in the Province.
This is what growth means to us in the DA. It means an opportunity for us to provide more opportunities for more of our excellent public representatives to win office, so that we can truly show South Africa what a party for all the people looks, feels and sounds like.
Let us go forward, colleagues, and build a bright, prosperous future for our party and our country, which we all love so dearly.
Viva DA, viva!
Statement issued by Lindiwe Mazibuko MP, DA National Spokesperson, October 22 2011
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