South Africa faces a new threat 14 years after the first democratic election, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Saturday.
She was addressing a large crowd at the KwaZulu-Natal Freedom Day celebrations in Molweni, outside Durban.
”The threat is a ruling party that believes it is more important than the Constitution. It is a party that believes it will rule until Jesus comes,” said Zille.
She said the African National Congress (ANC) wanted to control the media, politicians, Parliament and crime fighting bodies, such as a the Scorpions.
”Instead of allowing the judiciary its independence, the ANC wants to make judges accountable to politicians, instead of fighting crime and corruption, the ANC wants to take away the Scorpions …” she said.
Earlier, Zille said South Africa was not yet truly free.
”… but many people may disagree. … Elections are not enough to make you free. We only have to look at Zimbabwe to see that,” she said.
Hundreds gathered to hear Zille speak at the Molweni Community Hall in a valley at least 90km outside Durban.
Four busloads of DA supporters arrived wearing yellow T-shirts bearing Zille’s picture.
Dressed in a red suit, Zille said the majority of South Africa’s people had a long way to go to enjoy the most basic freedoms.
”When 53 people are murdered every day we cannot say that the right to life is upheld. When 144 women and children are raped every single day, we cannot say that the right to be free from violence is protected, and when 15-million people are without access to basic sanitation, we cannot say that the right to dignity is enjoyed by all,” she said.
”When 10-million people live in informal settlements, we cannot say that the right of access to adequate housing has been fulfilled and when half-a-million HIV-positive people require access to antiretroviral drugs, but do not receive them, we cannot say that there is access to basic healthcare.”
Zille, who told the South African Press Association that she loved KwaZulu-Natal as if it were her home, handed out DA T-shirts to police officers. – Sapa