‘DA’s white supremacists have appropriated Madiba’: ANC

“White supremacy” is at the core of the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) appropriation of the late president Nelson Mandela in its election campaign‚ the African National Congress (ANC) said.

“It is a glaring sign that the DA’s attempts to woo the black electorate are floundering and they will stop at nothing to ‘blackwash’ their chequered history as a whites-only party by thrusting a few token blacks into positions of leadership and appropriating even symbols that have always shunned them‚” the ANC’s Zizi Kodwa said on Tuesday.

He was reacting to the launch of the DA’s election poster - which urges voters to “Honour Madiba’s Dream‚ Vote DA” - in Tshwane on Monday.

"Nelson Mandela fought for black and white domination and therefore our project as the DA is to build South Africans who come from different political backgrounds‚ different races... standing together to say 'we are better together and we must address historical legacies'‚" said DA leader Maimane.

"I think if you were to reflect on the DA today‚ you can't even begin to sustain the argument to say the DA is a white party.”

Kodwa‚ however‚ countered by quoting Mandela when he told a Congress of South African Trade Unions rally in December 2000 that the “DA was a party of white bosses and black stooges”.

“Because Madiba was black‚ the white supremacy at the core of the DA holds no regard for his words‚ his wishes and the historical record that lays bare Madiba’s unwavering commitment to the ANC‚” Kodwa said.

“Because he was black‚ they can think for him and show utter disregard for that which he committed himself to.

“What is most sinful is that all this is done after Comrade Madiba has departed and no longer able to speak for himself as he did all those times before saying ‘they know they have not produced any credible policies with which they can challenge the vision of the renewal of our country… their success lies in projecting themselves as tireless fighters for the defeat of the ANC’.