By Doreen Mokgolo/span>
The DA is banking on the uMkhonto Wesizwe party (MK) eating away at some ANC votes and bringing it below 50% in the coming elections.
Launching the party’s election manifesto at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Saturday, DA leader John Steenhuisen said he expected the MK party to “devour millions of ANC votes”.
“The ANC was already on its knees when Jacob Zuma’s MK party entered the fray. As we speak, MK is devouring millions of ANC votes.
“The ANC only has one man to blame for its demise, Cyril Ramaphosa, who for decades did everything in his power to enable and protect Zuma.
“Ramaphosa even freed over 15,000 criminals just to keep Zuma out of prison, the very same Zuma who is now helping to evict Ramaphosa from the Union Buildings.”
Steenhuisen said in the past the party’s primary task was to present the strongest possible opposition to the ANC.
“All that changes today as we embark down a new path. In this election, we are not going to oppose the ANC but defeat the ANC,” said Steenhuisen.
The party has promised to create two million new jobs, and end load shedding and water shedding. The party promises to halve the rate of violent crime, including murder, attempted murder and gender based violence.
“We will crush corruption by abolishing cadre deployment in favour of merit-based appointments and a capable state that delivers for all.
“We will lift six million people out of poverty, triple the number of Grade 4 learners who can read for meaning and ensure quality healthcare for all, irrespective of economic status.”
Steenhuisen said the ANC has to honour the recent Constitutional Court ruling for it to hand over records of its cadre deployment committee dating back to 1 January 2013.
“After delaying making the records public for more than three years to protect Ramaphosa’s role in state capture, the ANC yesterday came crawling back to the DA, begging us to give them more time.
“I would like to take this opportunity to respond to Ramaphosa and the ANC directly. No, you cannot get more time to hand over the records,” he said.
Pictured above: DA leaderJohn Steenhuisen
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
