DA is being replaced as opposition party, analysts say

The recent victory of the ANC over the Democratic Alliance (DA) in a Western Cape by-election and other election losses it’s had indicates the DA is being displaced as an opposition party, an analyst says.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was upstaging the main opposition party.

“The identity crisis the DA is confronted with regarding its focus and target constituents is making it difficult to maintain continuity.”

The ANC grabbed the DA’s ward eight in Matzikama municipality in the Western Cape – its third by-election victory in the DA-dominated province. The ANC got 52% against the DA’s 45% while the EFF got 2%.

This is a huge margin and an important victory for the ANC considering that in the 2016 local government elections the DA got 53%, the ANC 37% and the EFF 3%.

The DA was also being trounced by the Freedom Front Plus (FF+). That the FF+ wrestled ward nine from the DA in a January by-election at Mamusa municipality in North West showed this.

In the 2019 general election the FF+ increased its parliamentary representation at the DA’s expense.

Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the DA’s latest loss indicated the party was losing its grip on parts of the Western Cape.

He said the DA had lost by-elections before and after the 2019 general elections. But this did not mean the ANC would take over nor that the DA was losing the province.

“But the DA has been experiencing a downward electoral trajectory for some time now.”

Another analyst Sanusha Naidu said voter identity, disgruntlement and changes in ward demographics could impact the results. She said one of these factors was likely to have happened at Matzikama.

In his weekly online newsletter, Straight Talk, DA interim leader John Steenhuisen appeared to admit things were not going well, but said: “We are beginning to develop a clear sense of political direction. We are finalising a range of big, bold policy ideas for our conference in April. And we are gearing up for a historic federal congress in May where we will elect new leadership.”

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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