We are convinced black and white Saffas all over the world who are serious about building a successful New SA hate affirmative action (AA). Solidarity now aims to collect 51,762 petitions against race-firmative action – enough to fill the Loftus Versfeld rugby stadium in Pretoria.
According to Dirk Hermann, Deputy General Secretary of Solidarity, they decided to step up the campaign after its request for a parliamentary debate over AA had been shrugged off as a whim and a fancy. ‘During its AA case against the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Solidarity called on political parties to request an AA debate. In response to this request, ANC Chief Whip Stone Sizani, through his spokesperson Moloto Mothapo, said parliament does not debate issues according to the whims and fancies of lobby groups. We now want to get 51,762 petitions from the public to show the ANC that a debate about the current implementation of AA is not just a whim and a fancy. We will present the petitions to parliament and repeat our request for a parliamentary debate on the issue.’
Hermann says Solidarity believes the solution to AA does not lie in the courts only and that the real solution must be sought through social dialogue. ‘Solidarity is hopeful that the debate taking place in the courtrooms will spill over into a national debate that will lead to a new national consensus over AA. The best place for such a debate is in parliament, which is why Solidarity appealed to political parties to request such a debate. The government’s approach has developed into a mathematical racial approach where people have been replaced with figures. This approach no longer has nothing to do with redressing past imbalances and is all about race. South Africans and particularly prominent business people too easily accept that the government’s approach is the only approach. What we need in South Africa is an all-out battle of ideas. We call on academics, trade union, church and community leaders and particularly large employers in the business world to be critical of the government’s affirmative action programme and to look for alternatives that work.’
People who want to support the campaign can complete a petition form at www.stopkwotas.co.za, or SMS the word ‘Race’ to 34388. An SMS will be charged at R2 and will be counted among the protest messages.
