Maimane says DA can ‘unseat’ ANC in 2029
HOPES of the DA becoming the ruling party by 2029 could be a reality if the party continued to grow its support base, party leader Mmusi Maimane has said.
“If we can sustain the growth, if we can sustain the door-to-door (campaigns), we can unseat the ANC,” Maimane said during a visit to Chatsworth on Sunday. “It is about growing our support and ultimately getting to a point where we can build a coalition of people who want Vision 2029 on board.”
Maimane said the ANC was dysfunctional, preoccupied with protecting President Jacob Zuma, and could not even hold a congress in the eThekwini region.
Earlier Maimane urged DA supporters at a community hall to make sure that they went to every community, house, taxi and bus to announce the arrival of the DA.
“We are here because we want a South Africa for all… based on values of freedom, fairness and opportunity. That is the South Africa we dream of,” he said.
“Our future is secure when we can see change by voting for the DA,” Maimane told the delighted crowd.
He described his two-day visit to the province as “absolutely positive”.
“It has really been an encouraging thing. More people are coming on board. The DA is the only party that is growing,” Maimane said.
Asked about the investigation into the controversial WhatsApp lobby group before the provincial congress in May, Maimane initially referred the matter to provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango.
“From all those reports that have come through, the provincial council has to take a decision on the issue,” Maimane said.
Mncwango previously complained that the WhatsApp lobbying by former provincial leader, Sizwe Mchunu, was against party policy.
Yesterday, Mncwango said the investigation was handled nationally, but that they had started on a new page in the province.
“Our job is to send a message to South Africans that we are not worried about what happened in the past,” he said.
Maimane explained that the investigation had to be undertaken to ascertain if the complaint could have substantially changed the outcome of the congress.
“If it can’t change substantively the results of congress, we must accept the congress (outcome) and deal with members who violated our own code,” Maimane added.
He said Mchunu, whom he met on Saturday, was doing great constituency work in Pietermaritzburg.