‘The C in Change Starts Now is not for Coloured’

The latest political kid on the block, Change Starts Now (CSN), was formed for all South Africans, said the movement on Thursday.

The party’s spokesperson, Murphy Morobe, dismissed perceptions the movement, which would eventually become a political party, was targeting Coloured voters. Morobe said this was far from the truth.

“This is about politics, it’s about change. Why do people want to racialise this? The C in CSN does not stand for Coloured,” Morobe said.

Morobe said the movement was launched in Riverlea, a historically Coloured-inhabited township, because of the ties the leader of the movement, Roger Jardine, has with the area.

“The launch could have been anywhere, but the specific need for Riverlea had to do with the fact that it was a coming home time for Roger and he could do his representation,” Morobe said.

Morobe said the movement would become a political party that will contest the national elections next year using the same name.

“For now, we will stick to Change Starts Now because it speaks to where most people are,” he said.

Morobe, a former ANC stalwart, is among many ANC bigwigs who have left the oldest liberation movement in South Africa to become part of CSN. More big names such as Mavuso Msimang were expected to join the party.

“We are only getting going, now we are setting up the systems and if we are talking about Change Starts Now, we are talking about a process that is ongoing. We are here for the long haul,” he said.

Coloured voters ‘more discerning’

Meanwhile, political analyst Lesiba Teffo said Coloured voters were more discerning about their vote than voters from other races.

“They are more discerning and more politically literate than the majority of black voters,” Teffo said.

Teffo said he was concerned about the high number of new parties that have mushroomed over the last two years.

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“These new parties, do they have ever green policies? Some of these new parties are career politics. There are many new parties and these that were formed in the last two years including rural and regional parties – these are careerists and that is why they are not values based,” Teffo said.