While it is the Democratic Alliance’s racial profile that is often quoted as the factor limiting its ability to expand into black areas, its foreign policy is a forgotten conundrum.
While most black South Africans view Cuban leader Fidel Castro and deceased Palestine Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat as heroes, the party seems to see them as anti-heroes.
Its geopolitical stance also means the DA embraces leaders of the north, such as United States President George W Bush, who are now largely out of favour with ordinary South Africans.
But the DA says its foreign policy will have no bearing on its mission to widen its base — the key resolution taken at its congress in Durban last weekend.
”Foreign policy is often not dominant in the domestic agenda,” says DA leader Tony Leon.
He says foreign policy should be based on the party policy principles — not on populist strategy — and should put South Africa first. It should be in the economic interests of the country and it should promote democratic practices and human rights.
”It should enable us to attract investment into the country.”
Leon disagrees with accusations that he is not sympathetic to the Palestinian struggle. He says he is in a favour of a two-state solution for Palestinians and Israelis, recognising the right of Palestinians to govern themselves, as well as the right of Israelis to live in secure places.
Leon says Castro is popular in Southern Africa because of his role in helping the liberation movements in Angola, Namibia and South Africa. But, he says, it is no good if Castro is popular outside the country, but he tramples on the rights of his own citizens. ”It is not democratic for one man to rule a country for almost 50 years.” He says associations with Castro and deposed Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide are not good for South Africa and ”its human right traditions”.
Leon says the DA recognises that it will not turn into a 51% party overnight and is therefore bracing itself for a marathon, not a sprint. The party has adopted internal processes that include working on its ”diversity profile”.
This will involve recruiting black leaders and ensuring that they occupy leadership positions — without antagonising its constituency.
Leon says he has powers to intervene to ensure that new people of calibre recruited into the party are put into leadership positions.
The DA will build capacity where it already has a presence and avoid the fire brigade approach — that of moving into an area during elections and leaving once the elections are over.
Last week the DA reiterated that it was not a party for minorities, although it would never take their support for granted.
Leon also said the DA was not a party of negatives. ”We do not just criticise. We support what is right, and try to put right what is wrong.”
Leon, who has been leader since 1994, was re-elected unopposed. Joe Seremane was re-elected as federal chairperson, also unopposed. Helen Zille, who rejected overtures to challenge Leon, and Dan Maluleke were re-elected deputy federal chairpersons. Donald Lee was elected third deputy federal chairperson.The DA’s federal council also re-elected James Selfe and Kraai van Niekerk as its chairperson and deputy chairperson respectively.