The time has come for a revolution in South Africa and to do to the ANC what was done to the Apartheid government‚ Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said on Saturday.

Addressing the DA’s final election rally in a packed Dobsonville stadium in Soweto ahead of the local government elections on Wednesday‚ Maimane said that under President Jacob Zuma‚ the ANC had become everything it had once fought against.

“An organisation that looks after the connected few at the expense of the many‚” he asserted.

Quoting the late struggle icon Nelson Mandela as having said that “If the ANC does to you what the Apartheid government did to you‚ then you must do to the ANC what you did to the Apartheid government”‚ Maimane said this time had come.

“It is time to do to the ANC what we did to the Apartheid government.

“It is time to rise up against the injustice that is perpetrated daily against the people of this country.

“It is time we took our inspiration from Helen Suzman‚ who stood up alone to fight for justice for all.

“It is time to rise up against the ANC government.

“The time has come for a revolution in our country‚” Maimane said.

“We don’t want bloodshed‚ and we don’t want a war. We will not take power through the barrel of a gun.

“Because we have the power of our vote. And‚ as somebody once said‚ the ballot is more powerful the bullet‚” the DA leader added.

He said another great South African‚ Chris Hani‚ had once said: “What I fear is that the liberators emerge as elitists‚ who drive around in Mercedes-Benzes and use the resources of this country to live in palaces and to gather riches.”

Under Jacob Zuma‚ Chris Hani’s fears have come true‚ he added.

“Because under Jacob Zuma‚ this government governs like black lives don’t matter.

“Under Jacob Zuma‚ the ANC is keeping black people in poverty while its leaders get rich.

“Under Jacob Zuma‚ the ANC is dividing the people of this country along racial lines‚” Maimane added.