Maimane: We can't be content being voice of minorities, need to broaden appeal

[Jopie Fourie]

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says the party must broaden its appeal to "attract more black South Africans".

Writing in his weekly Bokamoso newsletter, Maimane said the party could not only be "the voice of minorities".

"Therefore, however challenging it may be, the DA needs to win the trust of the majority of South Africans. We cannot contend ourselves with being the voice of minorities; we must broaden our appeal to attract more black South Africans too."

Maimane's comments will be read in the context of the two-day federal council meeting this weekend when members will discuss the party's future.

The review panel's report will also be discussed following the DA's poor performance in this year's national and general elections.

Maimane said the review had assessed the party's "leadership, policy, structures and operations".

Maimane: We can't be content being voice of minorities, need to broaden appeal | News24

DA leader Mmusi Maimane says the party must broaden its appeal to "attract more black South Africans".

www.news24.com

 

[Jopie Fourie]

This I do agree with Maimane. He should have come out right from the start just saying that the DA could not represent or be the voice of white people. At least then I would have had more respect for him and could have moved to a party representing me and my whiteness much earlier.

 

[SoldierMan]

But I thought that is what they were all along, or am I missing something....
That's what I voted for anyway.

 

[BBSA]

How about being the voice for moderate South Africans regardless the colour of their skin?

 

[TheChamp]

This I do agree with Maimane. He should have come out right from the start just saying that the DA could not represent or be the voice of white people. At least then I would have had more respect for him and could have moved to a party representing me and my whiteness much earlier.

What did he say before that is different to what he is saying now? I don't ever remember him saying the DA is the voice white people?

 

[Vrotappel]

Whatever voice you are don't compromise your principles for votes.

 

[LazyLion]

This I do agree with Maimane. He should have come out right from the start just saying that the DA could not represent or be the voice of white people. At least then I would have had more respect for him and could have moved to a party representing me and my whiteness much earlier.

What is whiteness? It's just a point on a scale of pigmentation.
It's like saying that people who are exactly 1.75 meters tall have some innate benefit over all the other people on the scale? And why exactly does that arbitrary designation need representation? Why not represent all the humans on the scale? I've never understood this.

 

[R13...]

This I do agree with Maimane. He should have come out right from the start just saying that the DA could not represent or be the voice of white people. At least then I would have had more respect for him and could have moved to a party representing me and my whiteness much earlier.

He said "only" and that presumably covers all races but black. And given that they rule the WC thanks to the coloured vote your suggestion that he's saying no more white reps (which isn't true as I indicated) is not true.

 

[ForceFate]

This I do agree with Maimane. He should have come out right from the start just saying that the DA could not represent or be the voice of white people. At least then I would have had more respect for him and could have moved to a party representing me and my whiteness much earlier.

What he means is that they don't want to be seen as a "white people's party" anymore. This is the only way they can penetrate traditional ANC voter base.

 

[Kosmik]

This sounds very broken record, they've been saying it for a while which is actually a problem. The party should hold itself above the race debate, do what is good for the people of this country regardless of race, color or creed. The fact that its not that way is one of the reasons I think they shed so many votes in the last election as they seem to now be pandering to the racial card.

 

[supersunbird]

What he means is that they don't want to be seen as a "white people's party" anymore. This is the only way they can penetrate traditional ANC voter base.

That's the racists fault if they see it that way. The DA should just pander to the middle and upper class, delivering good governance and ensuring service delivery happens (which results in economic growth).

 

[TheChamp]

That's the racists fault if they see it that way. The DA should just pander to the middle and upper class, delivering good governance and ensuring service delivery happens (which results in economic growth).

That would work for a while in the Western Cape but it won't work anywhere else. Pandering to a middle class person who just happen to be stuck in the middle of lower class people won't get you anywhere.

 

[supersunbird]

That would work for a while in the Western Cape but it won't work anywhere else. Pandering to a middle class person who just happen to be stuck in the middle of lower class people won't get you anywhere.

So be it then, enjoy the economic and service delivery doldrums from the actions of race obsessed voters.

 

[Alan]

Too much effort to convince voters to back your party's policies/principles. Rather just embrace the same failed policies/principles of the party they previously voted for......

 

[nightjar]

He said "only" and that presumably covers all races but black. And given that they rule the WC thanks to the coloured vote your suggestion that he's saying no more white reps (which isn't true as I indicated) is not true.

What he really means is that with enough black support he would be happy to throw the whites to the wolves.

 

[SoldierMan]

What he really means is that with enough black support he would be happy to throw the whites to the wolves.

Yeah I don't think that's what he meant, come on.

 

[Jopie Fourie]

What he really means is that with enough black support he would be happy to throw the whites to the wolves.

Unfortunately his henchmen here in Johannesburg cannot wait that long. They already throwing their white voters under the bus, like recently when a white women informed them of a broken water drain which has not been fixed for many years and Mashaba made her out an Apartheid beneficiary trying to overthrow the coalition party.

For such a party one cannot vote. They are basically sending you to hell and that with a smile on your face too. No thank you.

 

[Creag]

/cares

 

[Excalibur]

So there's going to be a titanic battle between the progressives and the verkrampte in the DA, the losing faction will have no choice but to leave and form their own splinter party.

 

[BBSA]

So there's going to be a titanic battle between the progressives and the verkrampte in the DA, the losing faction will have no choice but to leave and form their own splinter party.

So in your view the progressives are the ones who wants policies based on race, and the verkramptes are the once who wants a non-racial South Africa?