DA will take ‘Know Your DA' campaign film to 1 million South Africans

Note to editors: This is an extract of a speech delivered by DA Leader Helen Zille at the launch of the 'Know Your DA' film today. 

Exactly one month ago we launched a national campaign to tell South Africa the untold story of the DA. We set out to tell a story that few people had heard - the story of who we are, where we come from and where we are going. 

So far we have distributed 800 000 of 2.9 million pamphlets and we've had one-on-one conversations with nearly 300 000 South Africans, most of these by going door-to-door and talking to people in their homes. 

Many people have expressed surprise at the DA's history as a party that opposed apartheid. For some, it was the first time they had ever been visited by a DA activist. We take responsibility for the fact that people don't know enough about our history and our vision for South Africa. We are putting that right with the ‘Know Your DA' campaign.

Due to the overwhelmingly positive response received on the ground, we have decided to extend the roll out of the door-to-door phase of this campaign. This will take the form of a nationwide programme of house meetings featuring the ‘Know Your DA' campaign film, which we launch here today. 

Over the coming two months, 30 000 copies of the film you are about to see will be distributed to all of our branches across the country. The film will be available in English, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sesotho, Setswana, Sepedi, Xitsonga, siSwati and Afrikaans.

Each branch will hold weekly house meetings where they will invite South Africans who have never heard our untold story or who have never voted for the DA before. We are aiming to reach 1 million South Africans directly through house meetings over the next two months. 

Every house meeting will start with a screening of the film, followed by in-depth discussion and question time.

For too long we have allowed our political opponents to define us. To counter this deception we must reclaim our history. We must ensure that we never lose sight of the golden thread that connects our past, present and future: the fight against apartheid and its legacy of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Issued by the DA, May 13 2013

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