Early last year I complained that the DA’s image was too rich, too old, too white. I wrote, “Clearly brand DA is in need of a major overhaul, a major injection of cool. Its fusty look is rather reminiscent of what Woolworths was like 10 or 15 years ago when people under 30 refused to be seen dead inside a Woolworths store.”
This was having a discernible impact on its support among the youth, who found joining the DA was effectively social suicide. “As such”, I said, “its reputedly attractive members are remaining unloved and unlaid — leaving me wondering as to whether alliances (democratic or otherwise) will occur to ensure the reproduction of little Helens, Tonys and Joes in the years to come.”
I noticed that this was despite the DA’s intelligent policies that offered a blueprint to stimulate entrepreneurship, nourish education and tackle crime. And also despite its ranks being filled with bright young things with an alphabet soup of degrees and awards.
Now, like Woolworths, the DA has had a makeover — doubtless earning the gratitude of its younger members for staving off eternal celibacy. The party’s logo was Obamarised. Its leader started tweeting and doing song-and-dance routines to keep drug dealers awake at night. An online social network of DA supporters was created. The party also got major street cred amongst Capetonians because when it was elected in 2006, they finally got a functioning municipality.
But not just was the party prettied, it also developed a sexy sub-brand. The Country Road equivalent — cutting-edge, classy, cool. Welcome to the DA Young Leaders’ Programme. What’s so hot about a youth movement, you might be wondering? Well. This is different. It’s not the veld-and-vlei fandangos of the FF+’s youth league (brownshirts are so 1936). Or the Sandton parties and beer-bottle battles of the ANCYL. Or even the SACP Youth League’s caviar communism — business class flights to cushy conferences, anyone?
No. The DA Young Leaders’ Programme is a rigorous part-time course in leadership. During the programme’s four retreats you’ll meet guest speakers from both within and outside of the DA. You’ll have workshops on politics, personal development and public speaking. And between each retreat you’ll have plenty of reading (about politics and leadership, of course). You’ll also be typing up writing assignments and attending one-on-one life coaching sessions that will help you overcome obstacles to your growth as a leader. And to prove you’re not just a paper tiger, you’ll be overseeing your very own a leadership project which can be anything from a soup kitchen to a clothing brand – the choice is yours.
The DA is taking a gamble by investing in you — you’re not signing your life away or under any obligation to serve in the party — though obviously they would like you to). Why are they prepared to take this risk? Because the party genuinely wants to deepen the pool of young people that can one day lead South Africa — in politics, business, civil society and elsewhere.
And don’t think this is only for white protestant males from Houghton (there was only one of those this year!). People from all sorts of backgrounds, cultures, languages, genders are welcome and, indeed, encouraged to enrol in the programme.
If you’re between the ages of 18 and 35, and want to help South Africa reach its potential then what are you waiting for?
Believe me. It’s a lot cheaper than Country Road.
Visit www.youngleaders.org.za for more info.
This program was brilliant in the 1980′s, the 1990′s, the 2000′s and its certainly been uber fabulous since August 2006. the DA’s YLD education opportunity places the onus upon you to think and be responsible for your own ideas. a far cry from “the prep school of the anc” that the ancyl claims to be, certainly a far cry from the tow-the-line-logic and the groupthink emanating from the “Comrades’ Colleges”.
All that and you blubbering ninnies will still wring your hands, befuddled as to how to beat a floundering ANC!
…and if you don’t shop at Woolworths?
@ Jean Racine, No, the DA is cautiously and systematically building its base of activists who are able to outperform the ANC’s party faithful, on the basis of delivery and transparency, because it was the tortoise not the hare which prevailed, slow and steady and all that… but most of all now that the DA has proven that it runs Cape Town, the Western Cape Province and a number of Western Cape Municipalities, better than the ANC or the ANC’s NNP ever did, we are quite certain that the people will choose principled politicians who deliver rather than expedient politicians who steal… but then again democracy is a funny thing, theres no accounting for loaves of congress bread at polling stations, or for the divine intervention of congress tripe, is there?
I am just a normal South African, wanting ,like most of us out there, to create a better South Africa .Further, I dont want this to sound like a “DA party push”, but the DA is way ahead in this race. When I read articles like this..for all the right reasons..I again ,get excited about SA and the possiblities out there ,that just with a little bit of effort..exist for all of us. In my mind…the DA, attracing all South Africans across the racial and social devide..is that beacon of hope, for a better South Africa.
Yeah I just love Helen.
Now what is cool and sexy about Naledi, Gill, Maria, Lindiwe, Julius, Blade, Winnie, Jeremy, Gert, etc? yuk.
Oh please the ANC with the likes of Malema will bring themselves down in time.. no one needs to beat them at it. Go speak to young people in new development areas of Cape Town like Delft and you will be surprised they are all DA – and why? They say Zille is delivering, finish and klaar! I wish I wasn’t 38 then I’d take advantage of a programme like this. With age though I’ve realised its better to get involved and do something rather than just bitching about it.
All the responses merely prove my point. The self-congratulatory nonsense doesn’t cover up the fact that the DA has been woeful at opposition. Can you imagine how worse off they’d be if the ANC were a half-decent ruling party?
@Jean Racine,
It’s all about black solidarity. Vote ANC, they’re anti-white. Call the DA the “racist DA” and blacks will vote for the ANC.
My family were working class Marxists in the UK. They would only vote Labour Party, however bad they were. I understood why, but my sister I ended up voting Conservative.
Either the ANC will end up being something different from what it is now and retain the name or the electorate will eventually move on as they become better off and better educated. All parties have to evolve or disappear eg the Whigs and the once strong Liberal Party in the UK.
The Labour Party my parents knew bares no resemblance to the New Labour of today. Then of course there was the once all-powerful Communist Party of the Soviet Union and “kyk hoe lyk hulle nou”.
@Jeff,
And your point, in relation to what I posted, is what? Or did you employ fuzzy logic that says he’s not enamoured of the DA, ergo a “non-thinking” ANC supporter?
Ok, I’ll simplify it for you: the ANC’s record is appalling. An increasing number of eligible voters register their discontent by staying away from the polls. These are people your fantastic DA is failing to convince. Understand now, munchkin?
what a treat to see that the da youth are getting this so absolutely right! it is high time that the business of politics was made into just that – a business – that serves the people where it is needed.
well done to the da for it’s forward thinking and branding of a wonderful product – our young people and their leaders.