DA’s unity march in Durban condemns racial attack on party councillor
Durban — The DA in KwaZulu-Natal held a massive unity march in Durban on Monday following the racial attack against a DA councillor in eThekwini, Yogis Govender, allegedly by an unidentified ANC councillor.
Tensions escalated earlier this month when Govender was reportedly subjected to derogatory remarks during a full council meeting when an alleged ANC councillor shouted “go back to Bombay!” when Govender was still debating.
Bombay is the former name of Mumbai, a vibrant city in India.
The DA announced on Monday that it had filed a motion of no confidence against Speaker Thabani Nyawose and lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Council (SAHRC) for allegedly “protecting” the offender.
The march was led by DA bigwigs, including provincial leader Francois Rodgers and his deputy Sthembiso Ngema.
Addressing supporters outside the Durban City Hall, Rodgers did not hold back his condemnation of the ANC, vowing that the DA would ensure accountability for those involved in the alleged racial insult.
“I have been listening to all the speakers here about anger, and rightfully so – the anger and arrogance that continued to be displayed by the African National Congress (ANC).
“You remember when we went to the elections in May, we said we were to bring the ANC to below 50%. We didn’t bring them to below 50%, we brought them to a dismal 17% (in KwaZulu-Natal),” said Rodgers.
“The sun is setting on the ANC. They will never recover from the province of KwaZulu-Natal ever again,” he added.
DA eThekwini caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa said: “The DA rejects this awful act of race-baiting against councillor Yogis Govender because we stand firmly for equality for all people, unity of our diverse cultures, the rejection of hate speech and the rejection of division and discrimination.
“These values that the DA holds dear are what will make us strong, united and successful as diverse people in South Africa, and the DA will always advance these values to bring South African society together.”
The DA said the march was for non-racialism and unity in communities in KZN – a province that once saw race-inspired attacks.
Some of the marchers hoisted placards with the words “No Place For Racism Against Anyone” and ”Justice Must Be Served”.
Mthethwa said the recent incident was not just an attack on one individual but an “affront to the entire Indian community and the values we hold dear as a nation”.
“The DA rejects this divisive and hurtful attack, and there must be accountability for it.” Mthethwa expressed frustration at the ANC’s perceived inaction, claiming that the party has failed to identify the individual responsible for the derogatory comments.
He said the DA would haul Speaker Nyawose over the coals for shielding the alleged ANC councillor.
He said the ANC did nothing to identify the culprit.
“We see the speaker and all ANC councillors as complicit in protecting this person who made derogatory, divisive and discriminatory comments, and it is time for this protection to come to an end,” he said.
After the incident last month, the eThekwini Municipality released a statement saying Nyawose strongly condemned the incident.
ANC KZN spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said: “The ANC categorically rejects the baseless and desperate utterances made by the DA provincial leader, Francois Rodgers, during their so-called unity march.
“His remarks are not only unfounded but a clear attempt to deflect attention from the DA’s own failures and inherent contradictions as a party that prioritises minority interests over the aspirations of the majority.”
He said the ANC was a proud non-racial organisation with a long-standing commitment to building a united South Africa where all people, “regardless of race, creed, or origin, can coexist in harmony”.
“It is deeply ironic for the DA to accuse the ANC of racism, given their track record as a party that has historically represented the interests of a privileged few, predominantly white communities, at the expense of the majority.”
Regarding the alleged incident during the eThekwini council meeting, Mndebele said: “We emphasize that the ANC does not condone any form of racism or discrimination.
“If any councillor, irrespective of party affiliation, acted in a manner contrary to the values of non-racialism, the matter must be addressed through the appropriate processes. However, Mr Rodgers’ blanket accusations against the ANC are disingenuous and lack credibility.”
On the claim that the ANC will “never recover in KZN”, he said: “The ANC is actively engaging with communities across the province, addressing challenges, and reaffirming our commitment to service delivery and unity.”
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