DA won’t be swayed by EFF

DA LEADER Mmusi Maimane says the official opposition would rather not dislodge the ANC in Gauteng if it would have to compromise on its principles in order to do so.

Maimane was on the campaign trail in Tembisa yesterday, accompanied by the party’s premier candidate, Solly Msimanga.

His visit to the area came a day after President Cyril Ramaphosa and ANC officials held different election campaigns in the province.

Speaking at Ehlanzeni Hostel, Maimane said while the EFF had helped the DA dislodge the ANC in key metros, he would not allow his party to be bullied by the “red berets” in order to secure EFF support should the need to form a coalition provincial government arise.

“We are not in government for government. We are in government for the people.

“Where we can be proud is that where the DA has been in government, we have not implemented EFF policies, yet the ANC, without being in coalition, wants to implement EFF policies. Coalitions require principle – the principle of non-racialism, constitutionalism and the rule of law, including that we will eradicate corruption and build a capable state,” Maimane said.

He accused the EFF of trying to bully the DA into compromising its principles by threatening to remove it from metros.

“The EFF said to us that they were going to cut the throat of whiteness. That is racism. They came to Parliament and said if we were not willing to vote with them on expropriation of land without compensation, they would remove us in Nelson Mandela Bay. Now they have installed a coalition of corruption there,” he said.