A big moment has just happened in South African politics, and it has gone largely uncommented on.
Two pieces of news from the past week point to a fundamental shift in our political landscape. They are what economists call “leading indicators”, early signs which point to bigger change coming.
The first comes from new polling by the Social Research Foundation (and reported on by The Common Sense) which showed that black South Africans now make up the largest share of the DA’s support base. When people who said they vote DA were broken down by race, 36% were black South Africans, 35% white, 22% Coloured and 7% Indian. This is remarkable! No other party in South Africa can claim such diversity of support. And this really exposes the lies that the ANC often tells about the DA once and for all.
More and more South Africans are choosing the DA. I have experienced this on the ground as I have travelled across South Africa in this campaign.
People can feel that the DA is the only party in the country that cares about bringing people together, rather than pushing them apart. They can also see what the DA achieves where it governs. Jobs in a growing economy. Reliable basic services. Honest government. And the simple expectation that wherever you live, and whatever your background, government should work for you.
The second important sign was that news from the IEC that the DA is the only political party fielding a candidate in every one of South Africa’s 4485 wards in the 4 November local government election.
This, too, is quite a remarkable thing. The DA is now the party with the largest national footprint. We are not just becoming a political party with a truly national footprint. We are one! We are willing to compete everywhere, to listen everywhere, and to make our case to South Africans everywhere.
All of this shows that South African politics is moving away from the politics of old.
For too long, South African politics has operated on the assumption that communities can be placed into predictable political boxes. That race, geography or history determines how people will vote. Our democracy is healthier when that assumption starts to break, as it now is breaking. Parties then must compete for every voter, in every community, on what they offer and what they deliver.
After the ‘leading indicators’ comes the real change. We have seen examples of this already this year. Earlier this year, voters in Ward 28 in Evaton elected DA councillor Maki Tshabalala in a ward the ANC had won in every election since 1994. No community belongs permanently to any political party. South Africans can vote for change and a better life.
So, in the weeks ahead, I ask you get your family and friends to show up on election day. Make this election the truly watershed moment it is poised to be.
I believe South Africa’s best days still lie ahead of us.
And I believe with all my heart that South Africa can work — for everyone.
DA Federal Leader
Geordin Hill-Lewis
