ROAD TO 2024 ELECTIONS
SA will be ‘burnt to ashes’ under ‘doomsday’ ANC-EFF coalition, DA leader John Steenhuisen warns
Steenhuisen warns voters that if they don’t vote accordingly, South Africa will be governed by the ‘doomsday’ coalition of the ANC and EFF.
‘If voters sit back and allow the ANC and EFF to take over South Africa, our country will literally be burnt to ashes,” DA leader John Steenhuisen told the media at an event on Sunday evening, just three weeks before the 2024 national elections.
Steenhuisen was also launching the leading opposition party’s latest election advert, which articulated the DA’s worst fear: that not enough people would vote on 29 May 2024, leading to “coalition of corruption” between the ANC, EFF and the Zuma faction, where “life will only get worse”.
Steenhuisen emphasised that this “doomsday coalition” between the ANC and the EFF – which he reminded his audience he first brought attention to at the DA’s Federal Congress last April – is already evident in some of the most important cities in our country, with the working relationship between the ANC and EFF only deepening in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay.
“We have seen it here in Gauteng, where the ANC’s Panyaza Lesufi is clearly setting the table to go into coalition with the EFF at provincial level,” he said. “This will mean that the industrial heartland of South Africa will be under the control of radical populists who will destroy what is left of Gauteng’s economy.”
Read more in Daily Maverick: 2024 elections
Steenhuisen said that EFF leader Julius Malema had gone on record that the EFF would give its votes to the ANC on condition that property was expropriated without compensation, that mines were nationalised and that Floyd Shivambu (implicated in looting VBS bank) became finance minister of the republic.
“In every single place where the Doomsday Coalition already governs, the consequences have been catastrophic,” Steenhuisen said. “Basic service delivery has collapsed, looting runs rampant, taps run dry and life gets harder for everyone.”
“But before we air the piece, I’d like to take you back to April last year, to the DA’s Federal Congress. At this event, I became the first political leader to warn the South African public that an ANC-EFF Doomsday Coalition could arise after the 2024 election.” – @jsteenhuisen… pic.twitter.com/i92qWd4Tal
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 5, 2024
Velani Ludidi previously reported for Daily Maverick that no matter the outcome of the 2024 elections, the ANC, even if it receives below the 50+1 majority required to form a government, will likely receive the biggest chunk of the votes. If the ANC does not receive a majority, however, it will have to form a coalition with another party.
Steenhuisen explained that the reason the DA committed to the Multi-Party Charter (MPC), which had brought together 11 opposition parties for the first time in 30 years, was to defeat a doomsday coalition.
“So right from the start, we’ve been honest enough to take the risk of the doomsday so seriously, that we went on to take the historic decision to reach across the aisle and work with like-minded opposition parties to prevent the doomsday,” Steenhuisen said.
Daily Maverick has also reported that polls and political commentators believe that the MPC will get well below 50% of the votes.
Read more in Daily Maverick: DA’s Steenhuisen eases back on contentious comments about working with ANC
A section of the MPC commits signatories to not engage in any working arrangements or co-governing agreements with the ANC, EFF or any rival formations.
Political analyst and former ANC MP Melanie Verwoerd, however, wrote in an opinion piece for Daily Maverick that if the DA chose not to enter into a coalition with the ANC, it could push the ANC into the EFF’s arms – resulting in the “Doomsday Coalition” that Steenhuisen speaks of – and the DA would have to take responsibility.
“In just 24 days, our country goes to the polling booths to vote in the most important election since 1994,” Steenhuisen said.
“We face a clear binary choice in this election that will determine whether we resuscitate our South African dream – or whether our dreams are literally burnt to ashes.”
The future governance of SA, according to the DA, will either be the “Doomsday Coalition” between the ANC, the EFF, possibly the MK party, as well as smaller parties, or a new multi-party government, with the DA as the strong anchor party. DM
Unfortunately no matter how right John is he will fall into a conflict of interest, it is like saying don’t vote for them vote for me.
The best he can do which he already touted, is to be prepared to work with both the ANC and EFF to fight the doomsday from within.
The DA has a huge role to play in defining the direction the country will take post the elections and needs to be well placed to do so.
Pre-election is about enticing voters without alienating the opposition, numbers will decide if you need the opposition or not.
we have heard of expropriation of land and nationalization of mines 30 years ago and the country hasn’t fallen apart, it is corruption that is bringing the country to its knees and no one will save the country by being outside the status quo.
Being in parliament alone will not be sufficient you will be out voted.
The DA has been burned by attempted coalitions with both EFF and PA in Gauteng. They’ve since vowed not to work with either, and said they would rather be an effective opposition than an ineffective government. Partnership with the ANC at this point looks like an ineffective government since the ANC will not give in to the polar opposite policies and principles of the DA. A strong opposition is necessary in holding the executive to account – something the DA has been brilliant at (just look at the court cases and inquiries they have succeeded with). If the ANC wants to continue with the EFF, let them. The country will burn and the voters will change their minds in 2029.
Very well said, ACC. And for that Verwoerd woman to try and place the blame for doomsday on JS for not going into coalition with the ANC and EFF is as stupid as her ex-grandfather-in-law Hendrik’s nonsense about blacks being just hewers of wood and drawers of water and not worth properly educating! I despair. And let the ANC and EFF supporters stew in their own juice for being stupid too.
I wonder what goes on in her mind… guilt?
“Political analyst and former ANC MP Melanie Verwoerd, however, wrote in an opinion piece for Daily Maverick that if the DA chose not to enter into a coalition with the ANC, it could push the ANC into the EFF’s arms – resulting in the “Doomsday Coalition” that Steenhuisen speaks of – and the DA would have to take responsibility.”
This opinion (that somehow the DA would be responsible for an ANC EFF coalition if the DA doesn’t team up with the ANC at all costs) was poppycock when Melanie wrote it, and it’s poppycock now.
Let’s look at previous coalition behavior by the ANC, the ANCs ongoing resistance to any transparency (think cadre deployment records), installing ministers and deployees in portfolios that have failed for years (think Gwede ot Cele), the ever increasing insistence on BEE scores while not delivering (where are we now, 10% or is it 30% more expensive procurement, contracts etc?) which clearly enable corruption and enabled construction mafias etc, the list goes on and on. How would the DA be able to partner with that?!
So do you really honestly see the ANC cleaning up their act (which they haven’t managed for at least 20 years) to participate with the DA to build the nation rather than loot it?
The true reasons the ANC will pull in the EFF if they go well below 45% is not of ideological nature but purely greed.
The only ones actually opposing and fighting this mess for 20 years is the DA, and becoming part of this mess is no solution for SA.
lets say the ANC gets 40%. and the MPC gets 30%. They can form a Grand Coalition so that for every 4 ANC ministers there are 3 MPC ministers. And then MPC fights like crazy for crucial portfolios & more dissolved powers to provinces. This could be the closest we get to something reasonable…
There would be too many chiefs. And with an ANC majority bloc, you can forget things like devolution of power to (functional and therefore non-ANC) provinces ever happening.
Steenhuisen 100% right! If the country falls into the rapacious and wicked clutches of the anc/eff, then this country is doomed and well on the way to becoming a Cuba, Zimbabwe, Venezuela i.e. a complete, utter and miserable failed state. It is time to put away petty racial nonsense and voting on colour lines – think what is best for the country and it is anything but a grand coalition of the corrupt, thieving, parasitic and criminal anc/eff.
John spends more time perpetuating the politics of fear instead of focusing on the proposition of the DA. Fear is exhausting and is a lousy motivator for long term effect. People fear for their lives everyday. To add this to the grocery list doesn’t help. If the MPC proposition was compelling enough, other opposition parties would join. But because it’s marriage of convenience based on the antithesis of the ANC and EFF, it’s just not enough. Also, burning of the SA flag to communicate the point is in such poor taste. The only alternative that will excite people for a safe, prosperous, equal and united Mzansi in one generation, is RISE Mzansi. They offer a third way, a new path driven by new capable leaders. The DA just does not have the ability to galvanise and lead a broad coalition of South Africans. They will never be more than a 20% party, neither are they interested to be.
When the DA fails in these elections, I hope they fire John and Helen like they did Mmusi. The quality of our politics is also determined by the quality of our opposition. And unfortunately the DA is a weak opposition that is riding on fear mongering.
i think the situation is incredibly serious and the DA knows it. ‘state capture’ never stopped, it is deeply embedded in the DNA of the ANC + EFF. it is a 100% guarantee that the Rand will collapse if the EFF gets its hands on power. this will lead to extreme poverty, hunger, and a refugee crisis a là Zimbabwe.
crisis rhetoric like how they do it so that south africans realize how dire the situation is is crucial at this point
The proposition of the DA is well-documented and excellently proved in the Western Cape, Howick and elsewhere. Knysna shows how rubbish the ANC are – in 18 months since taking over the latter have proved it completely.
What other propositions do you need?
Ah, but is he DA itself capable of being part of any genuinely collaborative coalition? Judging by their past record, this is highly unlikely, and they will have to eat a mountain of humble pie if that is ever going to work. It looks like a mess whichever way it falls; maybe there will be some nuance between the different levels of mess, but a mess it will be :)!
it is a tough question – the DA has the reputation as the largest non-corrupt party. if they join the ANC, EFF or PA, they will destroy that good reputation
Either way it is a mess, The only way that it would work for South Africa ANC?DA coalition is that the DA and ANC fight on every decision and DA people are being poisioned for weeding out corruption. You know that corruption is being weeded out but there is no functioning goverment.
Because the other parties were mamparras of the first order, hence the need for a proper ‘MPC’ understanding from now on before they go near others. “Once bitten, twice shy” is a very understandable motto.
Melanie Verwoerd was spot on in my opinion. The best case scenario would have been an ANC-DA coalition. By taking that option off the table it leaves the ANC and EFF no other choice but to form a coalition themselves. Anyone thinking the MPC could get a 50+ majority needs to get back to reality. If the DA is serious about saving South Africa from this “doomsday” coalition they should have started negotiating an ANC-DA coalition already – and then with a tad more humility than John Steenhuisen seems capable of.
Before I see an ANC-EFF (or the gods forbid, MK) coalition I’d rather take another 5 years of ANC majority. The DA (particularly their apparent refusal to form a coalition with the ANC) is really making me wonder if I shouldn’t be making my X next to ANC on my almost certainly vomit-stained ballot and hope we have one more term of majority government.
So you think the ANC can be trusted? IMHO about as much as that religious idiot of an ex-grandfather-in-law of hers, who set up a lot of this current situation’s issues with his ‘hewers of wood and drawers of water’ bulldust 75+ years ago!
The EFF with their sudden change of mind in supporting the ANC in my just proves that they are just lackies of the ANC that must state what the ANC really wants to say but not have the b@lls to do it.
Please send me more news
What makes Melanie Verwoerd a Political Analyst, she is totally partisan, pro ANC like her fellows
The NDR requires a failed state! No-one willingly votes for communist regimes. Failed states offer the circumstance for communist take-overs. The “People’s War” is winning!
Forget JS – Dr Anthea Jeffery wrote of these things way way back! – and how often has she been seen a demagogue!.
Control ALL aspects of life RSA! SABC especially!
This May event’s curse about to burst on us was committed to in 1962, (May: ominous month, like Sept 911 to USA) Since 1984 – this ominously violent, mostly inexorable movement has been pursued in ‘hidden, alternate government’ moves, yearly, towards Socialism & Communism.
How? By Omission Of The Truth – Worse than Lies!
Their supporters kept ignorant!!
Not sure? Look carefully at Bills before the House…control education fully, control public utterance fully, legalize public spying, on people, on media, private channels, and public meetings.
SABC gone!
What did Lady R bring into RSA and take out? What did our immediate former Vice-President do in Russia? What connections exist between Mashatile and Dubious Julius? Has Zuma’s attack on the judicial processes withstood his heinous activity…enough to protect the Constitution, and no less himself from Arms Deal prison?
Will we still be able to make money overseas, in any market, to replace what we had here?
A Tragedy beckons – recalls McBeth!
WMC still rings – from one lonely miscreant maverick hobo, on her own – still a catch phrase in the RSA unequal mass.
As for Verwoerd…shame!
The country needs change. The DA is best party to bring that change.