Zille: SA's future is at risk

2007-11-10 13:01

Johannesburg - The future of South Africa is at risk because the ANC is not interested in democracy but interested in power, said Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille on Saturday.

"The future of our nation is at risk. The ruling party is not interested in democracy; instead it refers to opposition parties as 'enemies'. It's interested in power for power's sake," said Zille when addressing the DA's Eastern Cape provincial congress in Middelburg.

She said the country was faced with problems under the leadership of the ANC.

The great challenges were freedom of expression and hiking crime levels.

'Losing bttle against crime'

Zille said the ruling party had a different interpretation of the meaning of freedom of expression.

"They believe they are free to speak, and you (opposition parties) are free to listen.

"If you dare disagree you are called 'dangerous'".

The DA leader said the police were losing the battle against crime.

"The murder of Lucky Dube came as a shock to us all. But 19 000 people are murdered every year. After falling for more than ten years, the murder rate is rising again. Fifteen years after apartheid, we are still living in fear," she said.

'Contempt for the law'

Zille said criminals were inspired by President Thabo Mbeki who protected the national police commissioner Jackie Selebi from arrest.

"Criminals see how the ANC punishes some and not others and they develop a contempt for the law. They understand that crime in South Africa is not a matter of innocence or guilt, but whose side you are on," she said.

The ANC forgets that it did not seize power by force and it came to power in a democratic election, after a process of negotiations, Zille said.

"People gave the ANC their consent, and they can take that consent away, democratically. The constitution, not the ruling party, is the supreme law. And we must defend it with all our strength," she said.

- SAPA