DA/IFP promises 'new majority'

2004-04-04 16:34

Durban - The alliance between the Democratic Alliance and the Inkatha Freedom Party will bring about "a new majority" whose voices will be heard by the South African politicians, party leaders said on Sunday.

During a joint rally in Durban, IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi said the needs of the country's citizens have been ignored and overruled by politicians who have grown detached from the majority.

"April 14 is the time when the voice of the South African people must be heard. If the voice of the South African people is not heard on this occasion, it might never be heard again because the ANC (African National Congress) will grow to believe that they may rule without listening to the South African people," he warned.

DA leader Tony Leon said the real majority want the ANC to have less power, not more.

He said the two parties' "Coalition for Change" was laying the foundation for a new majority in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa.

"We are going to give our democracy the best 10th birthday present it could possibly hope for, we are going to give people of South Africa a real place and hope for real change," he said.

"We don't just want to bring power to the people. We want to bring the people into power so that they can choose what they want," Leon said to cheering.

Buthelezi and Leon told the hundreds of supporters at the gathering they would curb the country's high levels of unemployment, crime, HIV/Aids, poverty and corruption if they were brought into power.

The DA and IFP hope to get a majority vote in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The ANC enjoys an overwhelming majority in the other seven provinces.

- SAPA