DA launches election campaign in Soweto

The official opposition leader, John Steenhuisen has called on South Africans to register to vote in the coming elections as the only solution to moving the country forward.

Steenhuisen was speaking at the launch of the Democratic Alliance (DA) registration campaign launch at the Soweto Theater, Jabulani. He emphasised and pleaded on the critical importance of voting at the 2024 general elections.

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“No one can afford to sit out the 2024 election. This is our chance to use our precious right to vote, to rescue our precious country and start to take it forward again, for the benefit of everyone,” he said in his speech. “Rescuing South Africa starts with registering to vote. Before you can vote, you must register. This is my message to you today. Power is in the hands of the registered.”

The DA leader said it was time the country had a new government in place that was committed to working for all the people of South Africa – and can grow the economy for job creation and end the electricity crisis.

“I’m kicking off my registration drive here in Gauteng, because as I’ve said, nowhere is there more hope, and nowhere is this message more important than in Gauteng.

Nowhere else is it more crucial to use your vote than right here in Gauteng, the country’s economic powerhouse, where the Moonshot Pact is so close to getting into government after next year’s election.”

According to the DA leader, the opposition parties that have come together in what he termed a ‘Moonshot Pact’ was already on 48% of the vote in Gauteng and this signified a “lifeline” that the country desperately needed.

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In addition, he said if the coalition parties secured over 50% in Gauteng next year, this would be a major breakthrough. He said the coalition parties have set out to fix and restore governance in the province.

“When the Moonshot Pact parties win Gauteng next year, our focus will be on growing the provincial economy by making it as easy and attractive as possible for people to start, grow and operate successful businesses,” he continued.

He told attendees that a successful Gauteng Provincial Government will go a long in fixing the instability in the Gauteng metros, adding that the DA which governs the Western Cape and Tshwane was working to get new laws passed that will stabilize coalitions.

Meanwhile, Steenhuisen blamed the ANC government for the collapse of the economy and called on citizens to hold the party accountable for the destruction in the province and country.

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He accused the party of wanting to centralise and have control in order to loot state resources.

“He [Ramaphosa] points to the struggling economy as if he has nothing to do with the damaging economic policies that have brought South Africa’s economy to its knees. It is his party’s obsession with centralising and controlling every aspect of the state that has crippled South Africa’s economy.

The ANC’s insistence on centralising all power generation in Eskom has caused the loadshedding that is stunting our growth. And now they want to do the same thing to SA’s healthcare sector,” he slammed.

DA will take its week-long campaign tour to various parts of the Gauteng province.