Leader of the oppositional Democratic Alliance (DA) party, Mmusi Maimane speaks at the launch of the party's election manifesto in Johannesburg, South Africa, 23 April 2016. EPA/KEVIN SUTHERLAND “The reality of the situation with regard staff retrenchments and the absence of bonuses this year is that the organization is in a difficult financial position due to this year’s electoral results where we didn’t achieve the objectives and support we needed,” Solly Malatsi, the party’s spokesman, said by phone on Monday. “We have lost seats in several legislatures as well as the National Assembly, which had an impact on what the party gets in terms for the funding allocated to parties.”
The DA’s share of the national vote slipped to 20.8% in the May 8 vote, from 22.2% five years years earlier.
The party’s plans to fire staff were reported earlier by the Johannesburg-based Star newspaper.
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Amogelang Mbatha in Johannesburg at ambatha@bloomberg.net
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Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net
Mike Cohen, Alastair Reed