Johnathan Paoli
DA Federal leader John Steenhuisen lashed out at what he called the “Doomsday Coalition” as he announced Solly Msimanga’s candidature for Gauteng’s Premiership going into the 2024 National Government Elections.
Msimanga who is the current DA leader in Gauteng, previously served as Joburg Mayor and as a leader of the official opposition in the Gauteng legislature.
Steenhuisen said that Msimanga’s nomination is historic since he could be the first DA
premier of South Africa’s most populous and wealthiest province, historically been considered an ANC stronghold. But that would change soon as the ruling party loses its grip on the province, he said.
Steenhuisen said Gauteng is important as it holds two-thirds of the country’s economy and one out of four voters live in the province
The DA leader further said that the party for the first time, will not be fighting to be the official opposition in Gauteng, but will be fighting to govern.
Steenhuisen said that the party’s latest research indicated that the Multi-Party Charter has achieved a polling as high as 45%, based on the 27% the DA received in 2019.
Calling for the utter destruction of what he called the unholy alliance between the ANC, the EFF and the PA, Steenhuisen warned that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s alleged ‘Doomsday Coalition’ wants to cling onto power next year.
Citing the Marshalltown fire that tragically claimed the lives of 77 people, Steenhuisen said this is one example among many of the increasing inability of the ruling party as well as the Patriotic Alliance to effectively run the province.
“Just think what will happen to this province if we allow the same Doomsday Coalition between the ANC, EFF and PA that has already destroyed Johannesburg to take over the whole Gauteng next year,” Steenhuisen said.
Curiously, despite the Moonshot Pact, the federal leader bemoaned the splitting of votes in the Johannesburg Council as an obstacle that takes away from effectively holding government accountable.
Currently there are 18 different parties in the Joburg council, with eight of the parties holding only one seat each.
Steenhuisen explained that this is the reason why the DA tabled a motion to dissolve the entire Johannesburg council, so that fresh by-elections to elect a new, less fragmented and more cohesive city government could be facilitated.
“The only way to bring stability to Joburg is to go back to the voters, so that they can vote out the small parties and traitors like the PA, which are the root cause of the instability that has crippled that government,” the DA leader said.
The motion is scheduled to take place on 1 November this year.
“These small parties are sellouts and traitors. Wherever they go, they cause instability and chaos, which they use to extract better deals for themselves from the ANC. They are parasites who care only about positions and patronage,” the DA leader said.
Steenhuisen concluded with congratulating the former mayor and praised his contribution, enthusiasm and determination in the road to the elections next year.
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