The Star Late Edition

McKenzie urges W Cape takeover from the DA

- NOBUKHOSI TSHABALALA nobukhosi.tshabalala@inl.co.za

WITH less than six weeks remaining until South Africans head to the polls on May 29, the battle for votes in the Western Cape is intensifyi­ng.

The DA has maintained a stronghold in the province for more than a decade. Yet, current polling suggests its long-standing majority could be in jeopardy.

Addressing supporters in Cape Town on Tuesday, Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie disclosed that five parties had united in favour of the PA to divert coloured voters from the DA. It was widely felt that the province needed a new strategy after more than 15 years of DA control.

“Five smaller parties, including Advieskant­oor, Karoo Gemeenskap­s Party, Witzenberg Aksie, Oudtshoorn Gemeenskap­s Inisiatief, and Karoo Democratic Force, have committed their support to the PA and vowed to mobilise their members to vote for the PA in the elections,” McKenzie said.

“The Western Cape is about to change. We are willing to work with all parties in the province; we are not just targeting coloured communitie­s.”

McKenzie highlighte­d what he saw as a misinforma­tion campaign about the DA’s performanc­e in the province.

“We’re reclaiming the province. We all want what is best for South Africa and the Western Cape, these leaders have come to recognise the importance of supporting the PA and not splitting the votes of their constituen­cies.“

McKenzie predicted with certainty that the DA’s provincial vote share would decline significan­tly, possibly falling below 40%. “The Western Cape is about to change; the Western Cape is ours again.”

McKenzie said the ANC in the Northern Cape should be unseated, much like the DA in the Western Cape.

“We have the same activity in the Northern Cape, trying to unseat the ANC. If I can tell you a secret, we are spending more money in the Northern Cape than in the Western Cape because, for us to unseat the ANC, we are going for an outright majority in the Northern Cape.

“So, they’re in bigger trouble; that’s why the president said they would deal with me,” McKenzie said.

 ?? ?? PA leader Gayton McKenzie.
PA leader Gayton McKenzie.

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