Cape Town — Political party, Rise Mzansi, has called out the Democratic Alliance (DA) and its leader, John Steenhuisen, for his comments about the political mercenaries seeking to challenge the DA’s rule in the Western Cape.
Steenhuisen was speaking at the DA’s Western Cape Manifesto in Paarl. During his keynote address, Steenhuisen said the DA-led Western Cape was a beacon of hope in the country and it was important for the province to keep “political mercenaries” out of the province, the party said in a series of X posts.
“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.
[ICYMI] “Why are they coming to the Western Cape? If they get that right, it’s gonna be the biggest bank heist you’ve ever seen.” – DA leader John Steenhuisen criticises new political parties gunning for the Western Cape. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/Gn6MefpSlE
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 6, 2024
He questioned why these political parties were trying to take over a DA-led province, instead of fighting to take charge of a province led by the ANC, claiming that other provinces have already succumbed to ANC corruption.
“That’s what this is all about. You’ll never see these political mercenaries in small parties campaigning in ANC provinces like Limpopo or North West. Why? Because they know that the ANC has already stolen everything there is to steal in those provinces!” he added.
In response to Steenhuisen’s claims, Rise Mzansi’s Irfaan Mangera argued that the DA squandered opportunities to take oust the ANC and instead claimed that it “perpetuates the same behaviour as the incumbent”, EWN reported.
He said that, in 15 years since the DA has led the province, it has failed to successfully challenge the political status quo, and that the DA feels “entitled” to govern the Western Cape despite its many shortcomings.
“There’s a reason why communities like Mitchell’s Plain, Manenberg, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha and other areas that Rise Mzansi actively works in daily, is rising with us, its because in those communities, the working class, predominantly coloured and black families, are saying that they have not actually changed our lives and in fact, it has gotten worse.” Mangera said.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
