Mpumalanga | Tuesday
RELYING on 1999 election talk, New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Monday said the Democratic Alliance would lead supporters in the same way as former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith had isolated whites in Zimbabwe.
Van Schalkwyk was lobbying members of the NNP provincial head council at the Eastdene Community Centre in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
In what has become a refrain as he continues lobbying sceptical members countrywide, Van Schalkwyk said South Africa’s minority communities faced a historic opportunity to get back into the mainstream.
NNP members were faced with two options.
The one was the DA/Democratic Party option, similar to that of Smith in Zimbabwe.
Smith had led whites in that country into isolation, where they had no influence and had never came to terms with the majority.
This was the road to no where, Van Schalkwk said, adding it was the “verkrampte” (conservative) option.
The NNP, which favoured co-operation with the ANC, was advocating the verligte (enlightened) option, because it was prepared to take co-ownership with the majority and make South Africa a success, Van Schalkwyk said.
The NNP fought the 1999 election on an inclusive government ticket, which failed to find widespread support with voters. The NNP lost its official opposition title to the DP in the National Assembly and also saw the Inkatha Freedom Party polling more votes nationally.
Since Friday, Van Schalkwyk has lobbied the NNPs North West, Free State and Northern Cape head councils and will do the same in Gauteng on Tuesday.
Neither of the provinces have experienced a rebellion on the same scale as in the Western Cape, where DA councillors have been among the most vocally opposed to the NNP’s withdrawal.
Van Schalkwyk’s staff acknowledged there was unease among members because of the NNP’s decision to co-operate with the ANC, but said once armed with the necessary information NNP members were able to see through the DA propaganda.
This included that the NNP was forming an alliance with the ANC, which was the furthest thing from the truth.
Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon took to the Eastern Cape where he rallied supporters, including NNP-aligned DA councillors.
He told SABC television news that if a “faction” of the NNP’s leadership wanted to deal with the ANC, “that is their right”.
“If that is what they want to do, the good luck and good bye,” he said. – Sapa
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