Johannesburg - In a U-turn on Monday, the DA’s Joburg mayoral candidate, Herman Mashaba, ditched his controversial remarks on affirmative action and being classified as a black person.
The flip-flopping appeared to feed into the DA’s inconsistency on the critical issues of race, among others, according to an analyst. However, the official opposition was quick to rally behind Mashaba, labelling his latest remarks an “improved articulation of his stance”, and stated matter-of-factly he was not flip-flopping on the issue.
Speaking to The Star on the sidelines of the DA’s site visit to the Randburg labour centre on Monday, Mashaba said Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) enjoyed his support, and his previous remarks that he opposed the policy had been “twisted” to suit a political agenda.
The multimillionaire, who founded hair products company Black Like Me, had reportedly said the BEE policy was being used by government to divide people along racial lines, and that he did not want to be regarded as black but as a South African.
“I can’t change that I’m black. You listen to Twitter twisting what I said? I said I don’t want to live in a country and a nation where, on a daily basis, government sends inspectors to me that I must sign (forms) and get a commissioner of oaths (to declare) that I’m black.
“I don’t want to live in a society like that. The ANC then came and twisted what I said, that I’m denouncing my black race,” he said.
He gave BEE the thumbs up, saying: “How can anyone really be against these policies because these are the policies that are going to benefit ordinary South Africans. Don’t you want to see the people of Alexandra benefiting out of BEE?”
DA national spokeswoman Refiloe Nt’sheke said the party would not have approved Mashaba’s candidacy if he didn’t share in the DA’s values.
Political analyst Dr Mcebisi Ndletyana said it was clear Mashaba regretted his remarks as they stood against what the DA and its leader Mmusi Maimane stood for.
“It’s obvious the party criticised him, and it will be very hard for him to redefine what he said because it feeds on the DA’s inconsistency and flip-flopping on issues of race.”
The Star