Cape Town - The EFF has shrugged off the DA’s swipe at the party, saying it was unfazed by re-elected DA leader John Steenhuisen’s statement that they were “enemy number one”.
This came as the DA’s national congress concluded with the re-election of Steenhuisen as party leader on Sunday, beating his opponent, former Johannesburg mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse.
Speaking at the congress, Steenhuisen said the party would take a shot to “defeat the ANC and keep the EFF out”.
“The cold, hard truth is that the ‘doomsday coalition’ between the ANC and EFF has already taken over Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, with the help of its little proxies ...
“This is a fact that should send shivers down the spines of every patriot and freedom loving person in this country.
“South Africans now expect us to step up and become the leader of the alternative government. What they want, above all else, is for the DA to unite all the forces in this country that stand opposed to the ANC and the EFF,” he said.
“Today, I publicly declare Julius Malema’s EFF to be political enemy number one of the DA and I commit the DA to fight back against the EFF at every turn, with the ultimate aim of defeating the doomsday coalition that could seal South Africa’s fate next year,” he said.
EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said they were unfazed by the DA’s stance.
“We are not surprised that the racist establishment is focusing on the EFF instead of focusing on the governing party.
“They understand that we are the true representatives of the black people.
We unsettled them and we are not surprised,” Tambo said.
Helen Zille was re-elected as the party's federal council chairperson unopposed, while Thomas Walters, Annelie Lotriet and Ashor Sarupen were elected deputy chairpersons of the federal council.
Ivan Meyer was re-elected as federal chairperson, and the party’s federal finance chairperson, Dion George, was also re-elected unopposed.
Anton Bredell, Solly Malatsi and JP Smith were elected deputy chairpersons.
Director at the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, professor Zwelinzima Ndevu, criticised the party’s newly-elected leadership for not “reflecting the demographics of the country”.
“It is a lily white male-dominated leadership. It would be unfortunate if they think this is right. One would have hoped that more younger people would be elected to lead, and a fair number of women,“ he said.
Ndevu said it was likely that the party would be in the opposition benches next year.
“Steenhuisen doesn’t have the support of the majority of South Africans as he is seen as part of a particular class in the DA which does not want to reform.
“This will therefore mean that things will not change and the support of the party will not grow.
“They will be in the opposition benches next year,” he said.
Political analyst Sipho Seepe, however, said Steenhuisen had built a political landscape “to an extent that he can’t be ignored when he speaks”.
“He has delivered several political blows in a number of areas, including Phala Phala and Eskom.
“The DA municipalities are doing well. The party can build on this as proof that it can.”
Reacting to the newly-elected leadership, political analyst Dr Ongama Mtimka said: “The outcome of the leadership race in the DA shows that when parties are not intentional about diversity, the results favour the status quo of racial dominance and patriarchy.”
Cape Times