Coalitions hope to boot out W Cape DA
A GREAT deal of jostling for Cabinet posts between political parties has already begun ahead of the May 29 national and provincial elections.
Recently, EFF president Julius Malema announced that if the governing ANC got less than 50% of the vote, he would consider getting into bed with the party to form a coalition on condition that they agreed to elect his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, as finance minister.
The opposition, the DA, has also shown an interest in teaming up with the ANC, holding in contention its interest in keeping the Western Cape it has been governing for years.
However, the contentious province is in the eye of opposition parties that have emerged as threats to the DA. These include the Patriotic Alliance (PA), led by controversial Gayton McKenzie, and Patricia de Lille’s GOOD Party, which have shown an interest in ruling the Western Cape.
The Star heard that there had been negotiations between the GOOD Party and the ANC, while trying to rope the PA into its coalition to boot out the DA, giving either McKenzie or De Lille the premiership.
De Lille is already in a partnership with the ANC, after being given the Minister of Tourism Cabinet post after the last elections in exchange for support.
Speaking to The Star yesterday, De Lille kept her cards close to her chest, saying they were only prepared to speak to other parties after the elections, if needed.
She said: “The voters will decide and I put my faith in them.”
However, GOOD Party members who were campaigning in Cape Town confirmed to The Star that talks were under way and the GOOD Party leader was gunning for the premiership.
De Lille, who was once mayor of the Mother City, previously reportedly said that she would like to have the premiership.
On the other hand, PA spokesperson Steve Motale in a phone interview with The Star, said his party was willing to have a coalition conversation with anybody.
The PA and GOOD Party have rocked the DA’s boat in the Western Cape with the coloured vote.
On Tuesday, Independent Media reported that the PA received a boost in its attempt to challenge the DA in the province, which would propel them into not just a kingmaker position, but as a contender to govern the province after the elections.
The party announced that five smaller parties had pledged to support it and to ensure that their members voted for the PA.
Advieskantoor, Karoo Gemeenskaps Party, Witzenberg Aksie, Oudtshoorn Gemeenskaps Inisiatief and Karoo Democratic Force announced their allegiance to McKenzie.
The leaders of the parties opted not to contest the elections but rather campaign in favour of the PA, the party said in a statement.
DA leader John Steenhuisen called on his supporters to be wary of small parties. “Instead of fighting to fix the eight ANC provinces that have been smashed to pieces, the political mercenaries in parties like the Patriotic Alliance, Rise Mzansi, GOOD, and the National Coloured Congress are obsessed with trying to break the one DA province that works,” he said.