Overcoming the political paradox of our times says the DA

By Khanyisa Tabata
28 May 2010

Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille says breaking the racial obstruction is essential for democracy in South Africa to survive.

Commenting on this week’s municipal by-elections, Zille says if elections are always a racial census, one party will forever remain in power.

The DA won what had been considered two safe ANC seats in the Western Cape.

The opposition leader nevertheless expresses the view that a ruling party which tolerates the Constitution only as long as it is winning elections presents an obstacle to consolidating democracy.

Zille says the result in Grabouw was even more significant than Heideveld/Gugulethu, because Grabouw is the first ward the DA has ever won where there is a majority of black voters.

She says the DA has over the past four years established a very strong voter base in coloured communities, as the Heideveld/Gugulethu results re-confirmed. But significant progress amongst black voters has eluded us until the breakthrough in Grabouw.