Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen warned Johannesburg residents against voting for smaller political parties in upcoming local government elections, arguing that split votes enable the African National Congress to maintain power through a coalition arrangement. Speaking in Soweto on Saturday during the party’s mayoral candidate announcement at the Eyethu Shopping Centre, Steenhuisen stated that voters who support minor parties risk perpetuating years of municipal gridlock.
“Let me make this clear if you split your vote and vote for smaller parties you are going to get five years of what you have had for the last five years and the five years before that and the five years before that,” Steenhuisen told supporters wearing blue T-shirts.
Coalition Criticisms and Party Allegations
Steenhuisen specifically targeted parties that have previously entered local government coalitions, pointing to ActionSA’s involvement in Tshwane. According to the Democratic Alliance leader, voters cannot trust political formations that take ballots and redirect them toward the governing party they were meant to oppose.
“You cannot trust parties that take your vote and turn it around and give it to the very same people that you voted against like ActionSA has done in Tshwane, they get trapped in these unstable coalitions and Johannesburg cannot afford, south Africa cannot afford another five years of a revolving door at the mayor’s office,” Steenhuisen said. He added that the city requires stable leadership with integrity and a vision.
Gauteng Leadership Responds to National Comments
DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga used the Soweto rally to address recent remarks by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, who told ANC councillors they could learn from Democratic Alliance-run municipalities regarding clean financial audits. Msimanga dismissed the suggestion, asserting that the opposition does not have time to train ruling party representatives on basic governance.
“We do not have time to teach people not to steal but we have time to implement projects, we do not have time to teach people not to kill each other over tenders,” Msimanga stated. Msimanga emphasized that municipal success in Johannesburg is vital for the broader health of Gauteng province, describing the city as the veins that are running full of blood that will be able to nourish the entire body that is Gauteng and a whole body that is South Africa.
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