The ANC is worried as they know they only have 18 months left in power‚ Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane says.

Speaking at the DA’s Gauteng provincial conference‚ he said the ANC knew that South Africans had woken up to the fact that they needed to free themselves from the oppression of corruption that was destroying the country’s future.

He said South Africa needed change – a new beginning that meant freeing the country of divisions of race‚ class and gender.

People‚ he added‚ were often angry about corruption and state capture‚ but should be just as angered by the living conditions of their fellow South Africans.

“It cannot be business as usual when desperate mothers have to boil weeds to feed their children‚ or scavenge on rubbish dumps for scraps of food.

“We must be angry when 4 children die every day because of malnutrition‚” Maimane said.

“It cannot be business as usual when thousands of children go to school hungry every day‚ and then leave school having been taught nothing all day.

“It cannot be business as usual when the relief offered by 17 million social grants – the only thing that shields millions from hunger – is threatened by rank incompetence.

“It cannot be business as usual when it is this provincial government is directly responsible for the deaths of 143 psychiatric patients‚ or 34 striking mine workers.

“It cannot be business as usual when the red carpet is rolled out for those who have come to plunder our country while ordinary South Africans are left to fend for themselves.

“We need change‚” the DA leader said.

He said the DA was a diverse party with diverse leadership – something previously unheard of in South Africa. And this scared its opponents.

He noted that today‚ two out of every three DA members were black.

“Eight out of our nine Provincial Leaders are black. Three out of our four Metro Mayors are black. Most of our voters are black. I will continue to build a diverse organisation. Not a replacement of one race for another but a party for all.

“I say this not because we are keeping a race scorecard‚ but to demonstrate the dishonesty when our opponents say we are a party for this race or that‚” Maimane said.