They feel that the current leadership structures are not taking note of their concerns. The party’s youth wing had earlier told OFM News that it would be at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Bloemfontein campus in an effort to mobilise support, in the form of a picket, against Black First Land First (BLF) so it would not become a contender in the upcoming general elections. This follows after BLF leader, Lindsay Maasdorp, implied that the Hoërskool Driehoek tragedy, where four learners at the school passed away, was God’s way of making white people pay for the atrocities of the past.

"I’m here today at the University of the Free State with the basis of meeting students and encouraging them to vote. But also at the same time, I thought it would be a great opportunity to have conversations with young South Africans about race, because I think there’s a lot more that needs to be said and done. As the DA, we refuse to believe that young people are just apathetic. Young people are not apathetic. They don’t want to participate, because they feel like their concerns are not being addressed and that’s why we are saying we are here and are willing to address these concerns."

Mpithi said the party would be encouraging students at UFS, as well as at other institutions of higher learning across the country, to participate in the petition against BLF, because there should be no place for hate speech and racism in democracy. He further said the DA has written to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the matter. 

Meanwhile, the SAHRC’s Buang Jones confirmed that the Commission is aware of the utterances Maasdorp made on Twitter with regards to the Hoërskool Driehoek tragedy and has instituted an investigation into the matter. According to an interview with Jacaranda FM, Jones said the Commission will now look into whether Maasdorp has violated one or more rights according to the Bill of Rights. He further also said the Commission had instituted its own investigations before the DA, as well as another political party which lodged a complaint against BLF and Maasdorp.

OFM News