The DA is on a journey that is far greater than any individual. We, as a party, are seeking to fundamentally realign politics in South Africa. We are seeking to build a united country, with shared prosperity and opportunity for all. We are seeking to position ourselves as the party of the future. We are seeking to win the future for all South Africans. We are seeking to Build A New Majority.
As such, it was a truly humbling experience when members of the DA in Gauteng over the past few weeks asked me to run for the position of DA Gauteng Provincial Leader. I accepted the nomination because I believe in the DA's vision and mission and because I want to see a brighter day for all South Africans.
More South Africans today, then ever before, are choosing the DA as their political home. But we still have much to do as a party to ensure that we earn the trust of the millions of voters whose support we have yet to earn. I am running because I am determined to earn their trust for the DA. Too many of our people have become disillusioned after going to bed without shelter or food, day after day, all their lives. And not enough has been done over the past 17 years to give them a hand up to enable them to adequately fend for themselves and their loved ones.
Too many children are unable to access quality education and too many young people are unemployed through no fault of their own. I am running because it is our responsibility to share a vision and mission that will deliver all the promises that have been unfulfilled after 17 years under the ANC.
In my own life, I worked my way up from the very bottom. I lived through forced removals and the struggle against Apartheid. I have been a trade unionist and a community representative and have always championed the course of those unable to do so themselves. I choose the Democratic Alliance as my political home and fight day in and day out to spread our message because I know that the DA believes in the values it preaches.
I started as an ordinary member, was elected to the Johannesburg Council, then the Gauteng Legislature, where I served as the Leader of the Opposition. I also worked my way up to the position of Provincial Leader. Only in the DA is this possible, because we truly are the party of opportunity.
This is what we need to share with voters, that we truly care for the plight of all South Africans. But the challenges we face can only be met if we are in government. Under the leadership of Janet Semple, the DA in Gauteng grew to over a million votes, and we must use this foundation to grow by another million votes so that we can bring meaningful change to the people of Gauteng and South Africa. It is for this cause that I am running for Provincial Leader.
I will be based in Gauteng full time, and devote all my energies to our vision and mission going into 2014, so that we are a force to be reckoned with in the next election campaign.
On the 10th of March 2012, over 1000 DA members from all over Gauteng will descend on the Heartveld arena in Pretoria to elect the DA's leadership for the next two years. If I be successful and am elected to the position of Leader, I will build a strong support team to assist the leadership, with that first crucial step being winning Gauteng in 2014.
I plan on criss-crossing Gauteng over the coming weeks to share with DA members my vision for the future of our party and province, and after the new leadership is elected, I pledge to work tirelessly, speaking to communities across the province, whose support we have yet to earn, so that the DA in Gauteng can build a new majority.
Statement issued by John Moodey, DA MPL, Candidate for DA Gauteng Provincial Leader, February 8 2012
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