The DA stands firm: We will not keep the ANC in power

25 October 2023

In a recent op-ed, Adriaan Basson claimed, without a single meaningful source or shred of evidence, that there are secret negotiations between the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the African National Congress (ANC) for a coalition government post-2024 elections. This is simply not true, and one would expect a journalist of integrity to be sure of his facts.

A claim of this magnitude must never be published without supporting evidence or seeking comment from the DA to clarify it. By doing so without applying those basic journalistic requirements, Basson has allowed fiction to get in the way of facts.

The DA, alongside all parties within the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, has committed openly to not putting the ANC or the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) into power. This commitment is clear and unequivocal and in black and white. The Charter demonstrates the DA’s commitment to safeguarding democratic values, and this requires that the DA prevents the ANC from continuing its rule after Election 2024. There is no way South Africa can survive the corruption and poor governance that characterises the ANC and the pursuit of its so-called “national democratic revolution.”

The DA's mission for South Africa has always been aimed at replacing the ANC's corrupt, job-destroying government with one that upholds the rule of law and pursues market-orientated policies that both create jobs and produce the economic surplus necessary to alleviate poverty. The DA's vision centers on accountability, good governance, and economic growth, something that the ANC has proven incapable of providing to South Africa.

The DA has no interest in co-governing with the ANC or keeping the ANC in power. We are only interested in ushering in a new government for South Africa. There have been no secret negotiations, cloak-and-dagger or otherwise, between the DA and the ANC.

We are also not interested in rescuing the ANC from their own mistakes. The recent alignment of the ANC with the EFF in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni highlights the ANC's willingness to compromise on anything for the sake of power and patronage. Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay and Mogale City are the sad harvests of ANC-EFF failure, which allows the EFF to erode the ANC even further. The ANC has signed its own death warrant by aligning with the EFF and must suffer the electoral consequences.

As South Africa approaches the 2024 elections, voters face a critical choice. The MPC, with its tried and tested values emphasizing accountability, economic growth, and job creation, is polling within reach of the ANC. The alternative is a coalition between the ANC and the EFF, where red values may prevail, risking capital flight and state collapse.

Journalists who write books need to sell copies, and this flight of fantasy appears to be designed to move copies of this book. The DA will not be deterred by this sideshow. We have an election to win, and a government to form that will not include the ANC or EFF.

Issued by Solly Malatsi, DA National Spokesperson, 25 October 2023