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ANC needs genuine hand of friendship to gain white support
Although the ruling party had many non-Africans in key roles in its history, today its leadership does not nearly reflect the demographics of the country.
General views of the African National Congress (ANC) headquarters Luthuli House in Johannesburg, 9 December 2020. Picture: Michel Bega
Given our 371-year history of divisions along racial lines, it is not surprising that our politics is largely driven by skin colour. Our main parties, despite their claims, are anything but multiracial.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), however, takes the most flak for its seemingly hit-and-miss efforts to attract black people to its classic liberal policies. Its successes in running municipalities and a province notwithstanding, the DA is still seen by many black people as being run by whites.
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Surprisingly, not as much opprobrium is reserved for the ANC on that score for, although the ruling party had many non-Africans in key roles in its history, today its leadership does not nearly reflect the demographics of the country and it is happy to play the race card at every opportunity.
Now, it says with its honest hand on its heart, it wants to start appealing more to white people and it is hoping to get as many as 20% of its votes from them in the 2024 election. That is about as fanciful as the DA becoming the voice of the African middle class.
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The ANC has, in the years following the ascension of Jacob Zuma to the top party and state job, been pushing race-tinged narratives in order to cover up its increasingly visible ineptitude and thieving.
Ironically, Zuma and his non-African pals, the Guptas, employed the services of cynically efficient white spin doctors in London to support their race finger-pointing with the “white monopoly capital” narrative.
White voters feel threatened by crime, by lack of opportunities for themselves and their children in a society ruled by the need for racial redress and by the general implosion of a country, much of which is blamed, conveniently, on colonialism.
Unless the ANC reaches out a genuine hand of friendship, white support will remain a fairy tale.
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