Police minister Nathi Mthethwa says the DA is “synonymous with oppression”. – image – www.bdlive.co.za
It seems that the South African public can brace itself for even more of the war of words between the ANC and DA over who liberated the country from oppression. Police minister Nathi Mthethwa took the opportunity to have his say on the matter when addressing workers at a COSATU rally this Worker’s Day. He was quite clear when he said that the DA wants “to claim to be a part of the liberation of our people. We reject that.”
According to a report by News24, the police minister spoke to a large crowd in Sharpeville. During his speech, he added that the Democratic Alliance has never participated in any movement that was intended for the liberation of South Africans. In fact, as far as the minister is concerned the DA is closely aligned with oppression. He said: “The party is actually synonymous with oppression…”
The past few weeks have been very tense between the ruling party and the major opposition party, the DA. The ‘Know Your DA’ campaign seems to have been the catalyst in this boiling pot of tension. The DA wanted to educate South Africans that the DA was indeed very active in the struggle. The DA is tired of the public perception that the ANC single-handedly delivered liberation to a country ravaged by apartheid.
The DA launched the campaign in Alexandra, Johannesburg. The DA also unveiled a poster of former president Nelson Mandela in loving embrace with Helen Suzman. DA leader Helen Zille explained in her weekly newsletter that Helen Suzman was part of the long history of the DA.
This past Monday morning, South Africans were treated to the ANC visiting an obviously ill Nelson Mandela at his Houghton, Johannesburg home. This move was seen by many as a publicity stunt meant to show two things; that the icon is still alive and that he is still a member of the ANC and not DA, as the ‘Know Your DA’ poster would have some believe. The ANC denies this and says the visit was a show of genuine concern for the man who once led the ANC.
