Editorial Note:

Many of Omega’s over 11 000 corporate client-base in 26 countries who receive our Political Risk Service view the Democratic Alliance as the main guarantor of democracy and free enterprise in South Africa. But it is a long time since the background to the DA was spelt out in an Insight. Dave Gant is a businessman who immediately supported Denis Worrall when he resigned as ambassador in London and returned to fight the 1987 election as an Independent in the Helderberg constituency, losing to government strongman Chris Heunis by 39 votes. In this entertaining piece, Dave describes the emergence of the Independent Party following the election, it's rapid growth to the point where a merger with the PFP became inevitable, and his personal role – generously acknowledged by Colin Eglin in his memoirs – in the creation of the Democratic Party,  forerunner of the Democratic Alliance.

Stacey Farao, Managing Editor

For many white South Africans, who were desperately  seeking some sign from the National Party Government leadership that they would embrace “change” from white domination to an all inclusive Democracy, the August 1985 Rubicon speech of President P W Botha evoked a sense of despair and dismay. 

Most of the then architects of Government policy, including the Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Chris Heunis, seemed content to “rearrange the chairs on the Titanic” and be mindless of the disastrous consequences of ignoring the social, political and economic realities facing the country.

Whilst honourably committed and dedicated to the task, the Progressive Federal Party provided no real impetus for change and, without Van Zyl Slabbert, were unable to present to the white electorate any credible status as a catalyst for that change.       

A new initiative – from someone, somebody, some group, somewhere, somehow – was desperately required to “break the mould”.               

The success of the “Independents” (Malan, Denis Worrall and Lategan) in their brave challenge to Government in the 1987 elections exhibited a readiness of white South Africans and, relevantly, many Afrikaner academics, for change. In particular, the near toppling of Heunis by Worrall in Helderberg reflected a white mindset that the Government had underestimated or misunderstood.              

For reasons of their own, Malan and Lategan decided to publicly sever their connections with Worrall in a post election meeting in the Somerset West Town Hall and do their own thing – they formed the NDM.

The message to Worrall was – “Thank you for what you have done, but we will carry the torch from hereon”      

This was an unfair betrayal and Jannie Momberg, who had been instrumental in bringing Worrall to Helderberg in the first place and I, who had become increasingly involved with Worrall’s objectives, had no hesitation in emphatically responding to his telephonic question the next morning – “What do we do now?”

“We start our own party!” – was our answer. And so the political adventure of the Independent Party began with Worrall as leader and Momberg and myself as co-chairmen!      

With the spirited and ever loyal support base of Worrall in Helderberg forming the operating engine of the Party, the three of us held many public meetings around the country and engaged with the private sector in an attempt to convey the policies, principles, hopes and aspirations of the fledgling party to a broader audience.                   

We were well received and attendances at Public meetings ranged from thousands to just one at a memorable meeting that Momberg addressed in Howick, KZN. Momberg advised us at breakfast the next morning that he had had a “small but responsive and enthusiastic“ audience! We discovered later that it was one press reporter only!

Whilst not extraordinarily novel, the message of the Independent Party was being articulated in a manner that would appeal to white English and Afrikaans speakers alike, and perhaps bIack South Africans, more inspirationally than those of the other political players promoting change.                      

We said – whites could be part of the majority. Constitutional options should be looked at and open ended negotiations with freed up black politics should commence immediately. There should be no “sacred cows” such as Group Areas and a 4th Chamber of Parliament. No discrimination, one person one vote, Federalism and a Bill of Rights. A free market economy, privatisation and deregulation.  

Keith Guerney, as Secretary General, formed constituency branches all over the country and polls put our support base amongst the then electorate at 11%.   

Ultimately, it became obvious that the 1989 election required a united front and a reconciled Worrall and Malan mandated a few of us to negotiate a merger of the PFP, the NDM and the IP. 

Although, understandably, we were treated as “Johnny come lately’s” the PFP’s negotiating team under Colin Eglin reluctantly accepted us as equal partners and the Democratic Party (DP) emerged. Not everyone in the PFP was happy with the arrangement but with Worrall as co-leader and myself and Momberg holding influential senior positions in the DP, the IP had firmly established its legacy.      

The merits of the merger were evident in the support for the DP in the 1989 elections, but the 1994 election was a disaster for the party. As chairperson of the Federal Council of the DP, I took it upon myself to suggest to Zach De Beer that he resign as leader. After some reflection, he profoundly thanked me for lifting a “dark cloud” off his shoulders. Tony Leon and Helen Zille restored the party to admirable growth.   

There are many qualities that define “leadership”.  For me, the ones that resonate most strongly are: vision, sense of reality, courage and integrity.  I’d like to think that during its short but relevant lifetime, the Independent Party exhibited these.

Sadly the lack of these qualities, amidst those ironically elected to “lead” our country in 2014, evoke the same sense of despair and dismay as P W Botha’s Rubicon speech in 1985.

Written by David Gant, Businessman and Former Chairman of the Federal Council/ Executive of the Democratic Party