The Democratic Alliance is the party to stop the ANC’s bid to gain a two-thirds majority, its leader Hellen Zille said on Tuesday.
”The more power the ANC gets, the more power it abuses, the more power it abuses, the more corrupt it becomes …” Zille said at the University of Pretoria during her election campaign
She said the ANC must be kept below a two-thirds majority in the April 22 election.
”This time we can do it, because the ANC has split. Two-thirds is too much, it allows the ANC to change the Constitution unilaterally. And you can be sure that the ANC will change the Constitution to get Jacob Zuma off the hook.”
She said the ANC president would walk away from his corruption trial a free man, if the ANC achieved a majority of two-thirds.
”The ANC wants total power so that there will be no limitations on its abuse of power, and its corruption … the ruling party has systematically abused its two-thirds majority in Parliament to shield Zuma and to further his narrow interests and those of his cabal.
She said the ANC had abused its majority to kill off the Scorpions, because the unit had investigated Zuma and other members of his ”closed, crony circle”.
”The ANC abused its majority to ratify the dismissal of Advocate Vusi Pikoli, the former National Director of Public Prosecutions, because it knew it couldn’t persuade Pikoli to drop the charges against Zuma.”
She said the ruling party endorsed Pikoli’s removal from office, despite the recommendations of the Ginwala Commission. In doing so, the ANC showed its contempt for the people, its contempt for Parliament, and its contempt for the Constitution.
She said disbanding the Scorpions was the first step ”political solution” for Zuma. Firing Pikoli was the second step. And the next step entailed the ANC abusing its majority to pass legislation and or change the Constitution to grant Zuma — in his capacity as sitting president — immunity from prosecution.
She said only the DA was big enough to take on the ANC.
”Only the DA is big enough to stop Jacob Zuma and the ANC abusing their power … the election is not just about keeping the ANC below a two-thirds majority.
”The election is an important milestone in a longer process, which involves the DA consolidating its status as a party of government at local, provincial and national level, and creating a new majority.
”After this election, we will go on to face the 2011 local government elections, where we will win cities and towns across South Africa. In the final phase of this process, the DA will form the core of national.” – Sapa