SA needs strong, nonracial DA

An apt way to sum up the blues the blue party must be feeling this week would be the words of the blues song made famous by B.B. King.

For the Democratic  Alliance (DA) – or at least many of its erstwhilsupporters – “the thrill is gone”…

In some by-elections this week, the DA lost ground, although it has tried to spin the results by pointing to the fact that it is still one of the country’s most “diverse” parties, because it can contest in most areas.

Then came the not unexpected resignation of MP Phumzile van Damme, who cited differences with a “clique” within the DA leadership which seems to be controlling the party.

Although she won’t leave the party, her move will still be seen by many as confirmation that the party is not black-friendly.

Many of the party’s traditional, liberal, middle-class white voters are also concerned about its apparent attempts to woo supporters from the right of the political spectrum – something which failed in Pretoria, at least where the Freedom Front Plus made gains at the expense of the DA.

SA desperately needs a strong, nonracial DA to counter the ANC. It’s time for the DA to rock ’n’ roll.