The DA is proving to be its own worst enemy as it bids to topple the governing ANC from power in 2019 elections. Instead of capitalising on voter antagonism towards the ANC and President Jacob Zuma over a succession of scandals, the DA has stumbled, with its mayors’ performances drawing criticism in several of the biggest cities it runs, including Cape Town and Johannesburg. The party is also struggling to deal with a severe water crisis in Cape Town and improve services in municipalities where it wrested control from the ANC in 2016. "The DA has been shooting itself in the foot," said Xolani Dube, a political analyst at the Xubera Institute for Research and Development in Durban. "Its internal problems are doing serious damage to its image and will undermine its attempts to portray itself as a viable alternative to the ANC." Personality clashes and disagreements over policy have already cost the DA control of Mogale City, and Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille risks being ousted by ...
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