Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Ian Cameron took part in a blackface protest against race quotas in 2012. Pictures: Neil McCartney and X
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has slammed the Democratic Alliance (DA) for “deep-rooted racism” in its ranks after a video emerged of party MP Ian Cameron in blackface at an AfriForum Youth protest in 2012.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Red Berets even went as far as claiming that the African National Congress (ANC) is “actively empowering white supremacy” by working alongside the DA in the formation of the government of national unity (GNU).
The latest incident involving DA MPs, follows hot on the heels of the party’s suspension of Renaldo Gouws on Thursday for his racist rant as a student in an old YouTube video.
Cameron was recorded in blackface at an AfriForum protest outside the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) head office in Pretoria.
At the time, the civil rights organisation claimed that the University of Pretoria’s admissions policy eroded the rights of white South Africans.
The video and pictures of the students in blackface resurfaced in 2022.
Cameron who is widely known as a civic activist and formerly served as director of community safety at Action Society, joined the DA earlier this year.
In response to the blackface protest footage, Cameron told IOL: “I oppose race quotas, and as a member of AfriForum Youth in 2011, participated in a protest to this effect.
“However, I acknowledge that blackface is not acceptable in modern society and for that I apologise. It detracts from the point we at AfriForum Youth were trying to make about exclusion on the basis of race quotas.”
“The party notes the emergence of a video of DA MP Ian Cameron taking part in a protest 12 years ago as an activist for AfriForum,” DA spokesperson Richard Newton said in his response to Cameron’s blackface incident.
“Mr Cameron has clarified his participation in this protest against unfair admissions policies at an institution of higher learning.”
Coming in guns blazing after this week’s developments, EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys said the presence of members such as Cameron and Gouws in the DA, “exposes the party’s belief in white supremacy”.
According to Mathys, Cameron’s blackface video “is just a symptom of a party that has failed to uproot itself from the horrors of white supremacy”.
“The legacy of blackface is a brutal reminder of the dehumanisation and violence inflicted upon black people. This incident is not isolated but is part of a broader, troubling pattern within the DA.”
“The fact that the DA is the second largest political party, tells us that white supremacy remains rife not just in politics but all sectors of society,” Mathys said.
“Additionally, the party has demonstrated its inability to unequivocally condemn white supremacy.”
“Now, they have been emboldened further by the African National Congress itself, which has sought refuge within the DA, actively empowering white supremacy in South Africa, including in their discussions with the FF+ about ‘recognising’ Orania,” the EFF spokesperson argued.
“South Africans who want to eradicate white supremacy, must squash the existence of DA in our political space and, by extension, the ANC that has found sanctuary with white supremacist political parties.”
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