Van Schalkwyk soldiers on
2004-04-15 17:57
Cape Town - Unbowed New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Thursday vowed to continue advocating its reconciliation message as espoused in the coalition agreement with the ruling party.
He would do this even though it might not be popular among the electorate.
Said Marthinus van Schalkwyk at a media briefing in Cape Town as preliminary election results showed an erosion of the NNP's popularity: "An analysis of the election... (shows it was) very close to a racial census."
Van Schalkwyk said it remained a "huge challenge" to break down this racial census, reaffirming his personal and party's position that co-operation with the African National Congress was the best solution to the challenges facing South Africa.
"(It is) not the most popular message in the non-ANC segment of the political landscape," he said.
According to Van Schalkwyk some opposition parties benefited from an "anti-black, anti-ANC" message while the NNP had decided it was no use fighting yesterday's battles.
Watch the provisional results of the national and provincial elections as they come in on News24.com
- SAPA