Beneath Zille’s smile lies disrespect for blacks

I had just completed writing my article for my column when I got to learn that the infamous Da-Agang marriage had been abruptly called off. I sighed heavily out of irritation. But what am I to expect from a couple that pronounced its marriage to the world without even a sign of an engagement party, or a hint for lobola negotiations? Since the article was already completed before the divorce, and its contents still relevant, I have decided to share it with you anyway. Please enjoy it.

I watched intently as DA leader Helen Zille announced to the world that Dr Mamphela Ramphele shall be the presidential candidate for her party, despite the fact that the latter is not only a leader of another party Agang SA, but she is also not a member of DA.

I feel vindicated by my comments in the previous testament of the Battle of Ideas when I wrote; “For as long as opposition parties remain obsessed with the ANC, and simply avoid looking internally into their own affairs when developing their strategies and tactics, the ANC shall rule forever” (How ANC opponents lose the plot, The Weekly, 31 January – 06 February 2014).

When Zille presented Ramphele to the world, she was all smiles. She danced and sang while poor Dr Ramphele could only do as she was instructed to. According to some sources, Ramphele had authored her own speech before the announcement. She was duped into submission by iron lady of the DA Zille. So she had no choice but to smile back, dance and sing, and even kiss her “master”.

I am not going to waste my valuable ink and Letlaka Media’s space by writing a thesis about the spineless Dr Ramphele. As an academic, she has surely written several theses herself. The focus of this article will be on Zille, the brain behind all these outcomes. It is important that we unpack her real intentions for this exercise, lest we fall for her stage-managed lies.

It amazes me how Zille’s mind operates. Like many other white people in South Africa and elsewhere in the world, Zille has been taught from a very young age that blacks are inherently stupid and, therefore, incapable of independent thought. The choice of her lily white provincial cabinet in Western Cape is a case in point here.

When she looked at Ramphele, and other leaders aligned to the ANC like suspended Cosatu secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, and Planning Minister Trevor Manuel, she saw someone who must be used, or abused, to advance a selfish agenda. Her recruitment of Ramphele is no different to how her ancestors used to appoint their maids.

If Zille had her way, the DA would have been a purely whites-led party. But unfortunately black people constitute the majority of the population of this country. Every party therefore needs black votes. So, in Zille’s narrow mind, if the party can “rent” (to borrow from ANC secretary Gwede Mantashe) blacks, like Ramhele, Mmusi Maimane, Lindiwe Mazibuko, etc., black people, given their “lack of capacity to think independently”, will vote for DA in droves.

This is not the first time that Zille has used a black person in a presidential battle. In 2008, after the resignation of President Thabo Mbeki, Zille pushed the unpopular Joe Seremane to stand as presidential candidate. If Zille is indeed a leader, what stops her from standing as a presidential candidate?

Utter fear of embarrassment and rejection by voters, and serious undermining of the black voters, have led to Zille “renting” blacks to perform this role. She must be a leader and contest her own wars. For how long will Western Cape be a comfort zone for Zille and the DA? Right-thinking blacks must interrogate their decision to vote for a party that undermines them on the basis of the colour of their skins. Is it worth your while to vote for someone who does not respect you? I do not think so.

In his book, The Boscombe Valley Mystery, Scottish physician and writer Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 – 1930) wrote; “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact”. Despite the obvious fact that DA is party that seeks to defend the gains of apartheid for the minorities, some amongst us continue to be deceived by its tricks. Let us not allow Zille’s smile to deceive us further. One wonders, since Ramphele has “reneged” on the luring tactics of the DA, who is next to be deceived Zille and her party?