DA plans to challenge smaller parties in the Western Cape

The contest for control of the Western Cape, traditionally held by the Democratic Alliance (DA) since its assumption from the ANC in 2009, is intensifying.

DA puts up a challenge to small parties

Smaller political parties in the province are targeting the “Giant of the West” – the DA – and express confidence in their ability to surpass it.

The National Coloured Congress, Patriotic Alliance (PA), People’s Movement for Change (PMC), and Good are focusing their efforts on areas traditionally dominated by the DA in the coloured communities.

They represent the most significant challenge to the DA’s continued influence in these regions.

According to The Citizen, there is consideration for a coalition among smaller parties following the 29 May elections.

“The DA know they have done nothing for the majority of the people of the Western Cape, they only serve a tiny minority,” PA president Gayton McKenzie said.

However, confident DA federal leader John Steenhuisen remains steadfast in his belief that his party will emerge victorious in the 29 May elections.

“All these parties are clearly taking a chance; I don’t know what they are basing these on because it can’t be any rational or reasonable polling or something like that? They are trying to gain relevance out of this,” he said.

He said the DA had a track record of good governance in the Western Cape, which he described as “the best-run province in the country”.

The party created 380 000 new jobs last year and the province had “the most well function public health system” in the country.

“The Western Cape is beating load shedding, it is keeping people safe through the deployment of police officers outside of the Saps (SA Police Service) to deal with gangs and gangsters and drugs,” Steenhuisen said.

“People know the reason that Western Cape is the best run province in the country is because they voted for the DA.”

He emphasised that the Western Cape electorate would not permit smaller parties to divide the votes, potentially enabling the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to seize control.

Therefore, he asserted they would turn out in even greater numbers to ensure the DA retains power.

Winde opposes coalition government for Western Cape

Several political analysts suggest that a political shift in power within the province is plausible, given the emergence of smaller parties seeking to challenge the DA’s support base.

Alan Winde,expressed his opposition to a coalition government for the province.

According to Eyewitness News, Some political analysts suggest that a political power shift in the province is possible, given the emergence of smaller parties aiming to challenge the DA’s support base.

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) is among the parties that have secured several municipal wards from the DA outside the Cape Town metro in the run-up to the general elections.

When questioned about the possibility of the DA considering a coalition government in the Western Cape if it does not secure an outright majority, Winde responded, “We already have a coalition pact with other parties, so that would be the first option – but that’s not my intention.”

“We won’t work with the ANC [African National Congress], we won’t work with the EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters], I won’t work with the Patriotic Alliance because those three parties are in power in this province at the moment destroying those towns.”

According to the Daily Maverick, the PA has become a concern for both the DA and the ANC in the Western Cape, as it secured wards from both parties in recent by-elections.

It also came close to surprising the ANC in Clanwilliam, where a local party, Cederberg Eerste (CE), had previously won a ward.

In other developments, the ANC gained a ward in Polokwane from the EFF, while the DA won a ward from the ANC in Pearston, a small town in the Eastern Cape.