Marriage of convenience

THE announcement this week of a merger between the Democratic Alliance and Agang SA is yet another indication of the collaborative efforts guiding the changing political landscape in SA, ahead of this year’s general elections.
Whether the union is a marriage of convenience or a genuine attempt to relegate race politics to the past, remains to be seen.
The merger and the decision to have Ramphele out front as its president-elect will appeal to the DA’s hope of shedding its perceived middle-class white image, especially owing to Ramphele’s political struggle past. The DA will surely count on her appeal to recruit membership and support among black voters.
Whether multi-party democracy works or not, it appears to be the direction that politics is taking in the country, as the DA-Agang decision follows the recently announced establishment of the Collective for Democracy, where the African Christian Democratic Party, Inkatha Freedom Party, Freedom Front Plus and the United Christian Democratic Party pledged to co-operate. Of course, it’s the year of an election, and political foes are looking to maximise their efforts – at all costs – to gain all-important seats in parliament.
While the merger may take the proverb ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ to a new level, one wonders whether there will be a major shift in the official opposition’s support base and established voting patterns. Some analysts have predicted that it is unlikely as voting is influenced by more than just race.
It’s important to remember that the African National Congress itself relies on its support from its coalition partners, which has historically been a very successful partnership and means to rally voters.
However, having a shared enemy is not necessarily enough to make friends. All political parties need to hold true to the promises they make to the electorate, and to place as paramount the aim of moving South Africa forward both economically and socially.