Just last week, the media sphere was abuzz with speculation that Agang SA, the fledgling political movement launched by Dr Mamphela Ramphele, was in trouble.
I have been tracking Agang’s progress since its launch in the first half of last year with great interest because it was the first new political movement to emerge post-apartheid.
Yes, there had been other political parties formed post 1994 – such as the Independent Democrats and the United Democratic Movement and Cope and the Economic Freedom Fighters.
None of these was “new” in the sense that they were all populated by defectors or outcasts from existing organisations.
She was putting an illustrious career path behind her to enter politics.
I noted a steady progression in the build-up of support for Agang in the social media activity and crowds at their events; all of which has been consistently overshadowed by the antics of Julius Malema’s EFF.
All of that was last week. And a week is a long time in politics, as former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson famously said.
Agang SA is to merge with the Democratic Alliance and Dr Ramphele will be the DA presidential candidate in the forthcoming general election, DA leader Helen Zille announced at a press conference earlier.
Zille referred to the time she took over as leader of the DA in 2007, saying: “I said then that political change will come about as the old political formations become obsolete. We can see this happening now.”
I've been wandering the corridors of my workplace and over to the Hyde Park Corner mall across the road. The news is the only topic of conversation on the lips of most people as I write the words.
Why?
I'll summarise the meaning in one sentence: It takes race off the table.
For the longest time, the Democratic Alliance under Helen Zille has slowly and steadily built a power base around the country with a track record of service delivery and quick action against corruption within its ranks.
Their problem always has been that they have needed to contend with the accusation that they are the party of apartheid.
Why? The DA, in its previous incarnation as the Progressive Federal Party during the apartheid years, was the only party to consistently call for one person one vote for all South Africans. Why would people think them to be racist?
It was the fault of Zille’s predecessor, Tony Leon, who took the party into a marriage of convenience with the National Party under Marthinus van Schalkwyk.
That marriage fell apart, and Marthinus then took the National Party into the ANC. But the damage was done.
Under Zille’s direction, the party has been the most consistently vocal on building a truly representative base. The addition to its leadership of the likes of Mmusi Maimane and Lindiwe Mazibuko gave flesh to those promises.
But they were political newcomers. The DA consistently failed to add to its ranks someone with the clout to take on the party of Nelson Mandela.
Ramphele changes all of that. She has impeccable struggle credentials. She has impeccable educational credentials. She has impeccable economic credentials. She is a woman. She is black.
I expect the political analysts to be shooting their mouths off over the next week.
Expect to see phrases like: “Ramphele has no power base.” “This will alienate white voters.” “Agang was a non-starter.”
Expect people to quote from Ramphele’s autobiography where she outlined why she did not join the DA.
For me, it’s simple: I have voted in every election since 1994 and for the first time, both the ruling party and the official opposition will be fronting strong black candidates for president.
Make no mistake; this is a watershed in our political history. All of us, whether we vote ANC or not, should celebrate that milestone.