DA trying to capitalise on Indian-Zulu racial tension ‘backfired’

Indian-Zulu tensions in Phoenix and other parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) reflect years of deep-seated and unresolved racial challenges – not to be used by political parties for electioneering – a leading political analysts said yesterday, conceding that the DA elections strategy has backfired.

The official opposition party has been reeling from a wave of political attacks over its controversial posters in Phoenix – a volatile area during the recent unrest, that led to the killing of black Africans by Indians in the area.

“The ANC called you racists” and “The DA calls you heroes,” the DA posters read – sparking an uproar, which led to DA KZN chair Dean Macpherson publicly apologising and pulling the posters down. This also led to DA leader John Steenhuisen’s stance on Phoenix being overruled by the party’s federal executive.

Also Read: ‘I won’t apologise’: Defiant Steenhuisen maintains DA’s Phoenix election posters have been ‘misinterpreted’

“The situation in Phoenix is not going to resolve itself, because the real deep-seated racial issues are not being addressed,” said Institute for Global Dialogue political analyst Sanusha Naidu.

Issues from the 1990s still persist

“Phoenix has been portrayed in a reactionary sense by all political parties, using it as a means to an end. The situation in KZN, particularly in eThekwini, around the race question between Indians and Africans, has always reared its ugly head.”

She said South Africans should be asking themselves why – no matter how many discussions and dialogues we have held from the ’90s – the situation has persisted.

“Real issues on the ground are not being addressed, on both sides of the divide – something not to be trivialised or be used as an election strategy.

“We need to see hard talk taking place on such matters in that area,” said Naidu.

ALSO READ: DA backs down on controversial election posters in Phoenix

“The DA is the microcosm of what is going on in that area. In 10 or 15 years, the same questions will again come up, unresolved – perpetuated by political games in the region.”

‘DA showing its true colours’

The DA, said Naidu, blundered by defining its election strategy “on racial terms”.

“For the longest time, the party has been defining its strategy in racial terms – challenging transformation, talking about meritocracy, as opposed to democratic majoritarianism.

“The distasteful posters the DA put up in Phoenix, is not something we should be surprised about in reaction to how it has manipulated the situation – playing on minority fears.

“This has been part of the DA’s DNA for a long time. In 1989 they played on white fears for a black-led majority ANC government – the fight-back campaign. This time they are just being blatant about how they put their message across to voters.

“Internally within the party, the dynamics unfolding make it clear that that the party is still very pink in its top leadership. The DA allowed those posters to remain for two to three days – the strategy being to ensure that the message has been printed in the minds of the people of Phoenix.

“DA leader John Steenhuisen still has to apologise – meaning he is silently still sticking to his original stance. In Phoenix and elsewhere, these tensions have been simmering for a long time – now being manipulated by the DA in a very parochial and manipulative strategy. In a way, it opens up the space for others to be reactionary to the DA and reactionary to the situation in Phoenix,” said Naidu.

A political miscalculation

Independent political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga, said the DA “miscalculated” politically.

Also Read: Alternative opinion: Steenhuisen must put back those posters!

“This was an indication of a lack of strategy – something to agitate the people,” he said.

“They are now going to pay the political price, because other parties are going to squeeze a lot of political mileage out of this. Through the posters, the DA made Phoenix a no-go area for the party – so sad what they have done.”

University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood said the direct impact of the DA Phoenix debacle might be felt locally, rather than in broader South Africa.

“Other parties, like ANC will try and use this, as they need all opportunities they can get. This certainly is a weakness in the DA. In 2016, there was the Schweizer-Reneke incident involving former DA leader Mmusi Maimane who misinterpreted the issue there,” said Henwood.

brians@citizen.co.za