DA leader, John Steenhuisen speaks to The Citizen at the DA offices in Bruma, 26 January 2023. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
The relationship between the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the African National Congress (ANC) and potential growth thereof, appears to be giving Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen sleepless nights, if his comments this weekend are anything to go by.
Steenhuisen was re-elected as party leader for a second term, and used parts of the speech at the end of the congress to take swipes at both the ANC and the EFF.
The DA leader declared the EFF ‘public enemy number 1, and went as far as saying the DA’s top priority is now to stop the ANC and EFF’s doomsday.
ALSO READ: Steenhuisen declares war: DA’s number one priority to stop ANC-EFF doomsday
Speaking to The Citizen, Breakfast said Steenhuisen is wise to worry about the relationship between the ANC and the EFF, particularly in Gauteng.
“The proximity of the EFF and the ANC is very close and we have seen it when the two parties joined forces in Gauteng. If they can do that at local government level, then nothing will stop the two parties [from] working together at national level.”
Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast
Breakfast says it was not, however, wise for Steenhuisen to take a swipe at the EFF, stressing that there is no evidence suggesting that the DA will improve on its electoral performance come next year’s much-anticipated general elections.
This means he might still need the red berets’ help in future, if he hopes to form a governing coalition.
“I am concerned about the racial make-up of the leadership, as it doesn’t reflect the demographics of the country and yet this is a party that purpots itself to be espousing non racialism.
“Their approach will not lead to a win-win situation, because they seem to be gravitating more to white electorate and at the same time, risking losing more black voters,” said Breakfast.
Another political analyst, Prof Andre Duvenhage, says while the DA’s elective congress was a success from an organisational point of view, the outcome thereof meant the status quo remained.
“What was interesting in his acceptance speech, Steenhuisen identified the EFF as their main opponent and that they will fight the EFF with everything they have and I think that is an attempt to rally a coalition against the EFF, and they (DA) are also very much concerned about the possible cooperation between the EFF and the ANC after the 2024 elections.
“What is also clear is that the next coming months leading up to the 2024 elections, is going to make a very interesting time for politics and for political students in South Africa, and I believe this can be a watershed election. I’m not necessarily saying the ANC is going to lose the election but I think the DA at the moment is a lot stronger than they were in 2019,” said Duvenhage.
Breakfast is of the opinion that former Johannesburg Mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse battled Steenhuisen for the party’s top position to convey a message that there are no untouchables in the party.
“However, I doubt she will stick around in the DA after losing out to Steenhuisen with a huge margin, and even the one who contested Steenhuisen, Makashule Gana before has already left the DA.
“The writing was on the wall that Phalatase was going to lose… I mean she was not even nominated by her own province,” Breakfast said.
Phalatse did recently tell The Citizen during a Podcast interview that she intends staying in the DA even if she is not elected new leader.
ALSO LISTEN: Mpho Phalatse on why she thinks she has what it takes to lead the DA
Phalatse also expressed disappointment at the outcome of this week’s leadership congress but said she would support the newly-elected DA leadership.
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