THE DA has vowed to establish branches in each and every ward in South Africa in an attempt to woo more supporters ahead of the 2021 Local Government Elections.
The proposed constitutional amendment was adopted at the party’s elective congress over the weekend.
The DA said this amendment recognizes the need for branches to recruit more people to build the party on the ground, and to identify people who are willing and able to campaign for elections, man voting stations and assist in the many programmes of the party.
The party has set its sights on winning several metros with outright majority, including the City of Tshwane, City of Joburg and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
“Together, we must build a new majority in South African politics, with the DA at the heart of governments across the length and breadth of our beautiful country,” said the party’s newly elected leader John Steenhuisen during his acceptance speech.
“We are also ready to unleash all of our firepower in the fight to get outright majorities in cities like Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay.”
“A clear DA majority that avoids the need for coalitions is the best way to protect these metros from underhanded takeovers that disrupt and undermine service delivery. By waging a principled fight for people power, we will reignite momentum and get the ANC out of power.”
He added: “We’ve done it many times before. In Cape Town. In Midvaal. In the Western Cape. In Tshwane. If we show that we are the party of people power, we can do it again. This time, we can do it all across South Africa.”
Steenhuisen said in addition to the dozens of municipalities where the DA already deliver world-class services as the party of government, another two dozen could have DA-led councils after the 2021 local election.
Five of them are in Gauteng, eleven are in the Northern Cape, and three are in the Eastern Cape, he said.
“If we resolutely stick to our principles as we’ve recently done in Tshwane, there is a clear path to victory for the DA and people power for South Africa,” said Steenhuisen.
(COMPILED BY INSIDE POLITICS STAFF)
