The DA’s new parliamentary leader, John Steenhuizen, must be commended for boldly stating that racial representivity will no longer apply in the placement of persons in leadership positions in the DA (The Witness, October 30).
But now Steenhuizen must walk the talk by amending the DA’s constitution because nowhere in its constitution is a reference made to the principle of merit. He also needs to reverse the DA’s support for B-BBEE. For, if, as he says, “the fight against inequality and poverty has nothing to do with colour,” then, logically the DA should have no truck with B-BBEE which is not only racist but is a flawed and failed initiative.
In denouncing the DA’s practice of “parachuting” people into positions based on their race, Steenhuizen is to be commended for recognising the folly of that approach. If the DA had adhered to the principle of merit it could have averted the difficulty it now faces in trying to rebrand itself.
Sent into The Witness and The Mercury and published, 1 November 2019.
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