Supporters unhappy about corruption and the high life of those in office are being drawn to Patricia de Lille’s party, the Independent Democrats, conveniently abbreviated as ID and inaugurated on Gauteng’s East Rand at the weekend.
”The African National Congress? They’re too corrupt. Look at the Yengeni business. Look at the Lekota business,” complained Elana Fourie of the North West, joining delegations from the eight other provinces.
The ID claims a signed-up membership of 13 000 — a huge growth since its formation in March. De Lille is targeting 5% of the vote in the next election, to give her 20 MPs. More vitally, the party has provincial and branch structures. Bantu Holomisa’s United Democratic Movement, for example, has frayed because it does not have a solid political organisation.
And the ID has established a presence in Holomisa’s Eastern Cape stomping ground. Dressed in a fusion-Xhosa-contemporary outfit with ukuchokoza marks dotted elegantly around her eyes, 20-year-old Dudu Shabangu from Port Elizabeth was enthusiastic.
”I was not an ANC member, but I grew up in the Sasco [South African Students Congress] tradition. We looked to people like Tony Yengeni as role models. Now we have lost hope and faith.”
Last week’s launch was a racially representative assembly. The numbers of young people like Shabangu stood out. Capitalising on a reputation spawned during the arms deal imbroglio as an anti-corruption campaigner, De Lille has made this her big ticket.
The second issue this 52-year-old former unionist and pan-Africanist will campaign on is HIV/Aids. ”Thousands of our people die of HIV/Aids each year; millions more will die in the next 15 years. At least three HIV-positive people will sit in the leadership of this party,” she said, to applause from launch supporters.
Another theme De Lille will play to is the growing sense of disconnectedness that people feel from politicians; a sense that you have to be in the inner circle or be nowhere at all.
”We must stop regarding people as prominent and credible on the basis of their family connections to the liberation struggle,” said De Lille. It was the line in her speech that attracted the loudest applause and shouts of ”Yebo”.
Besides Aids and an aversion to avarice in public office, what else does De Lille offer? Something the ruling ANC does not have in great oodles — politicians with personal appeal.
”There’s this aura around her. It’s like Nelson Mandela and Breyton Paulse. I can say there’s something in her that draws you to her,” says Rodney Lentit, who helps run the ID’s Western Cape nerve-centre.
A survey last year found De Lille is among the country’s top 10 favourite politicians and her PR material is shameless about using her magnetism. ”She is Nelson Mandela’s favourite opposition MP, so shouldn’t she be yours?”