Building a better future together 

18 May 2015

Today I release my first Bokamoso which will replace the weekly SA Today publication. Every week, both a video and written version will be published. You can watch this week’s video here.

The title of these conversations – Bokamoso – means “The Future” in my mother tongue, Setswana. I chose this name because the DA is the party of the future. And we are driven by the idea of building a better tomorrow for all South Africans.

Everything I will do as Leader of the DA will be focused on creating one nation with one future, underpinned by freedom, fairness and opportunity.

Last weekend, the DA held its Federal Congress in Nelson Mandela Bay. This is the party’s highest decision-making body, where we elect our leadership and amend our constitution.

I am honoured by the confidence placed in me by the majority of the delegates and excited by the opportunity to lead a party that is truly a national government in waiting. 

We emerge from Congress united by our values. Values that we share with the millions of South Africans who wish to work hard, provide for their families and live in a peaceful and safe South Africa.

These shared values are reflected in the Values Charter that we adopted on the weekend. The Charter now serves as the preamble to our party’s Constitution and is inspired by the extraordinary potential of the South African people.

Last Sunday, I said that our enemies as a country are poverty, unemployment and inequality. As Leader, I commit our party to fighting and defeating these enemies.

Victory will come through getting our economy growing and creating millions of jobs. 

But that requires a DA government in the Union Buildings. 

That is my focus in this job, and I will not let myself be side-tracked.

The road to the Union Buildings starts with the local government elections next year. 

I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work. And I’d love for as many South Africans as possible to join me.

I call Bokamoso a conversation, because I want this to be a two-way communication with the people of South Africa. I want to share our vision of a future South Africa, and I want to hear what the dreams, wishes and hopes of South Africans for our country are.

This week, I embark on a tour to communicate and discuss our values of Freedom, Fairness and Opportunity across the country. I will be hosting town halls, street meetings and house meetings in every province. The tour will culminate in the launch of the DA’s vision for South Africa on 13 June.

Together we can make this country great. It’s time to make it happen.

Issued by the DA, May 18 2015