No DA-EFF marriage plans

JOHANNESBURG – Both leaders of the Democrtic Alliance (DA) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejected any possibility of a coalition between the two parties.

EFF Leader Julius Malema insisted that is party was not interested in any form of a coalition with any party ing because he believes his party can win.

Although weekend reports stated that the DA and EFF were in talks, but these talks were not official. The report quoted DA Premier Leader Candidate Mmusi Maimane to have said, “Dali [Mpofu, EFF premier candidate] and I go to enough events together, so it comes up in conversation.

“There is a sense of collegiality about job creation and corruption. As opposition parties, we are against a government that is corrupt in the main.”

However Malema dismissed these reports by saying, “These reports must be dismissed as mere desperate speculations in an attempt to defocus the EFF’s objective of taking government, particularly in Gauteng.

“There are no talks of coalition with anyone because the EFF has only one objective in these elections, and that is to win.”

DA Federal Leader said in a statement, “I wish to state categorically that the DA will not enter into a coalition with the EFF under any circumstances.

“This includes Gauteng where there is a strong possibility that the ANC will receive less than 50 per cent of the vote.”

Zille said she has always made it clear that the party will only form coalition where it is possible to form a coherent government and implement the DA’s policy commitments to the public.

She said, “This would be impossible with the EFF. A coalition with the EFF would be unworkable given the huge ideological gulf between our parties.

“The DA believes in market economics with a welfare safety net, non-racialism and the rule of law while the EFF’s policies are a threat to the economy and jobs, its racial rhetoric undermines reconciliation and its track record on corruption is as bad as Jacob Zuma’s ANC.”

According to Zille, the ANC and the EFF are two sides of the same corrupt coin. She said, “The DA will not legitimise the EFF’s existence by entering into a coalition agreement with it.

“If this means that the DA remains in opposition in Gauteng, then so be it. We would rather remain in opposition than enter into an unworkable coalition with the EFF.”

The DA leader has maintained that over the next two weeks he party ‘will continue working to win Gauteng’.

She said, “We believe that, if enough of our supporters come out to vote, we can win more votes than any other party in the province. If Gauteng voters want to send a signal to Zuma’s ANC on jobs and corruption, they must choose the DA in this election. We are in it to win it.”

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Source: Times Live