30 years later, former "white" parties are still trying to stop the ANC

Peace please. Soweto, April 1994. Photo: Annika Langa

One of the most convenient myths about South Africa’s transformation from an Apartheid state to a democratic is that the Nationalist Party under the leadership of President FW de Klerk was embracing the changes. They were not. In fact, they did everything in their power to delay freedom and democracy, and to weaken the ANC. 

At the same time as the ANC was unbanned on the 2nd of February 1990, the Apartheid regime unleashed the Third Force, and an orchestrated so called tribal war between the Xhosas ("ANC") and the Zulus ("Inkatha"). It was a sinister and lethal strategy, not to mention racist. As a result, political violence surged. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people died. It also, at least initially, spread an image of blacks being too uncivilized to rule South Africa. 

The Apartheid government denied involvement, but we who were there, on the ground, saw it with our own eyes. Survivors of attacks talked about izinwele izingalwene or hairy under arms attacks carried out by white members of the security forces smeared in black shoe polish who in the heat of the moment exposed their underarms, hair strays protruding.

I have no doubts that the regime wanted my husband dead as well. He worked relentlessly with voter education in the homelands and on farms, and with self defense of township communities targeted by political violence. There were a number of attempts on his life, or on our lives, too. We were shot at twice in our bedroom in Yeoville, Johannesburg. Our flat was on the first floor. First a single bullet and then, a few weeks later, a hail from an automatic rifle. We were at home both times but luck and maybe a guardian angel were with us. 

Paul addressing community members in Orlando, Soweto, April 1994. Photo: Annika Langa

Bullet holes in the ceiling above our bed. Yeoville, 1994. Photo: Annika Langa

Stop the ANC. Johannesburg, April 1994. Photo: Annika Langa

Already in the election campaign 1994, the slogan of the Nationalist Party (NP) slogan was "Stop the ANC". In the 1999 election, the Democratic Party (DP) slogan was “Fight back” and many of us were left wondering exactly what they felt a need to fight: Democracy and non-racialism? On the 24th of June 2000, three "white" political parties from the Apartheid era, DP, NP and the Federal Alliance, came together to form the Democratic Alliance (DA), again with the aim of stopping the ANC. Today, it's a "forgotten" merger as members and supporters claim that the DA stems from the liberal roots of the Democratic Party. 

It has been 30 years of the opposition trying to stop the ANC. We know little of their policies and how they are planning to change South Africa for the better. Personally, I don't think this is a case of strategical mistakes or ill-advised choices as their policies are exuberantly anti-black and anti-poor. The DA is for example proposing to scrap the already minimal minimum wage and black empowerment regulations. They have also been purposely vague on their stand in the Gaza genocide, not wanting to upset their American friends, big business funders and the "colored" vote in the Western Cape. 

Hence, the reactionary DA has chosen to hid their agenda and march on with fear antics. We are again told to vote DA to stop "black violent thug parties" (the ANC and the EFF). In other words, it's the old swart (black) and rooi (red/communist) gevaar (danger) from the heydays of Apartheid dusted off. 

In the 2024 election campaign, DA went as far as using AI generated images to burn the South African flag. According to the party, it´s a Phoenix metaphor, but it still doesn’t sit right with me. The South African flag is a national symbol of unity where the to separate lines of the Y represent the racial segregation of the past and how we as South Africans of all colors came together as one nation. 

Well, that was the dream of 1994, the dream that so many South Africans had given their life for. The Democratic Alliance, their allies and supporters never understod the magnitude of this gift. ANC leaders, out of this world human beings such as Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu, supported by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, offered an olive branch of peace, forgiveness and reconciliation. It was unique in the known history of mankind. It had never been seen before. The world hailed the New South Africa - the "white" parties did all in their power to stop it, even from before it was born, using mainly the media and the courts; Virtully every social reform the ANC government initiated was challenged, delayed or stopped by the DA taking legal action. 

As far as I know, the DA has never burned the Apartheid flag. The 2024 elections, 30 years after the birth of democracy in South Africa, will in parts be about the very same thing as in 1994: Are you voting for white privilege or for a party that aims to improve the lives of the majority? 

I know, I know. The DA will tell me to get over Apartheid - according to them, it's apparently ancient history - at the same time as they cling on to memories of how well everything worked back then, when the state only had to provide welfare, safe roads and reliable electricity to five percent of the population. 

And yes, I know, I know, the ANC has let us down on many accounts, but if you ask me, the opposition has fared far, far worse.