`DA a party full of racists`: Nzimande

By Staff Writer January 7, 2016 47 Comments

SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande has thrown his weight behind the ANC, accusing the Democratic Alliance of being a party full of racists.

The ANC said on Tuesday it had laid a formal complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the DA as a “breeding ground” for racists.

Spokesperson Zizi Kodwa told News24 that they had asked the commission to investigate racism within the DA, as well as whether the DA was fuelled by racists.

Among those that the party had laid complaints against were:

• DA MP Mike Waters who allegedly posted a picture on Twitter showing a pack of dogs lining up at a tree, underneath which was a picture of President Jacob Zuma;
• DA member Penny Sparrow who took to Facebook describing black beachgoers as “monkeys”, in an apparent reaction to litter left behind after New Year’s celebrations;
• Nelson Mandela Bay DA councillor Chris Roberts, who allegedly referred to UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani as “councillor bobbejaan”.

“Most of these racists come from the DA… Waters, Diane Kohler-Barnard, you name them, they are there,” said Kodwa.
Kohler-Barnard recently came under fire for sharing a Facebook post praising apartheid president PW Botha.

We cannot – in a constitutional programme of transformation to build a non-racial society – allow a Member of Parliament (MP) to propagate hate speech and racist trolling using social media,” Nzimande said.

“The SACP has consistently exposed the character of the so-called Democratic Alliance (DA) as a party full of racists that continue to protect white privilege,” he said.

“Evidence exists beyond any reasonable doubt that there is home for such racism in the DNA of the DA.

“In contradiction to the DNA of the DA, never again must we allow our country South Africa to be a haven where racists are harboured and are a resource as an electoral base. How can the DA be expected to do away with its own DNA? That party of racist acquired white privilege must never be trusted especially when it comes to the fundamental principles of our constitution – important principles such as the principle of non-racialism,” Nzimande said.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s spokesperson, Mabine Seabe, said the ANC was using a political gimmick.

“If one or two people come out as racist, it doesn’t mean that the party is racist. The DA condemns racism heavily. We have no space for racists in the DA,” he said.