PROVINCIAL POLITIC
Why a complacent DA could lose Cape Town to ANC
The DA seems to be making every effort to steer voters to the ANC, writes Lance Claasen
A week is a long time in politics. The ANC led by Jacob Zuma could not buy a win in the Western Cape. In contrast, President Cyril Ramaphosa is literally walking his way into the hearts of voters. In its handling of conflict with Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille, the DA seems to be making every effort to steer voters to the ANC. February 15 was supposed to be a good day for the DA. Its leaders knew the ANC was on the back foot after getting rid of its rogue president. DA chief whip John Steenhuisen proposed that Mmusi Maimane stand as a presidential candidate in the parliamentary vote. Perhaps the thinking was that there was a slight chance Ramaphosa would be embarrassed by ANC MPs unhappy about his ascendancy. Maybe Steenhuisen imagined that some of Zuma’s heavily compromised cabinet ministers would be tempted to revolt during the secret vote for a new presidency. It is likely DA leaders were hoping to exploit divisions in the ANC after pushing the idea that rifts in the governing...
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