Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane leads the "March for Change" to the Constitutional Court, 15 April 2016, in Johannesburg. This follows the Constitutional Court judgment, which stated that Jacob Zuma had violated his Oath of Office and the Constitution. Picture: Michel Bega
The DA has run into political flak over the past 10 days, alienating many with accusations flying of its bully-boy tactics in parliament and some municipalities where it is governing.
Political leaders yesterday called its motion for parliament to be dissolved, which it lost, “self-serving”. The motion was opposed by all parties, including opposition allies.
But the DA’s chief whip, John Steenhuisen, defended the motion, saying the country could not afford another two years of ANC governance.
He said the constitution provided for early elections when there was a legitimacy crisis in the country, as was the case now.
The DA is facing a rebellion from EFF councillors in the Johannesburg and Tshwane metros over the removal of the UDM deputy mayor in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, Mongameli Bobani, in a DA-endorsed motion of no confidence.
The EFF, one of the DA’s major allies, said the party’s bullying tactics were indicative of its arrogance, while Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Mulder said the DA no longer represented the interests of the people, particularly Afrikaners.
“We were hoping the DA was going to help us fight for the survival of Afrikaans, but they’re not there. They’re watching from the sidelines,” he added.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu criticised the party’s reappointment this week of “ardent racist” Dianne Kohler Barnard as its deputy shadow minister for police.
She had been sidelined to the back benches after she shared a Facebook post in which the writer said it had been better under the apartheid rule of PW Botha.
She was initially expelled from the DA but successfully appealed. EFF national chairperson Dali Mpofu accused the DA of undermining smaller parties in parliament and municipalities in which they had coalitions.
He pointed out that it had not consulted other opposition parties about its motion for parliament to be dissolved, adding that the DA’s bullying tactics had confirmed the fears of many that it was a racist party. – ericn@citizen.co.za
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