DA slams calls to postpone municipal polls as 'desperate'
The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes some political parties
are growing scared as the local government elections loom.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes some political parties are growing scared as the local government elections loom.
The country is expected to go to the polls on October 27 in what is expected to be fiercely contested elections.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are among parties that want the date pushed back.
On Thursday, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) threw a spanner in the works when it appointed the former deputy chief justice, Dikgang Moseneke, to determine whether it will be possible to hold free and fair elections in October.
The DA held its first national hybrid rally on Saturday.
The party’s Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille told members a postponement would only play into the hands of the unprepared parties.
“We all know very well that the EFF and ANC aren’t ready for the elections and they’ll do anything, even use and cynically use the Covid crisis to try and postpone the elections.
“If they postpone it once, they will postpone it again - it will set a fatal precedence.”
DA leader John Steenhuisen echoed Zille’s sentiments.
“It’s no secret that many of our towns and cities are literally falling apart. The list of municipalities in critical condition is now longer than the list of those that still function properly. Service delivery has collapsed in hundreds of towns, taps are about to run dry in the Eastern Cape, budgets are being slashed everywhere.”
“Municipalities owe billions and billions to Eskom and are on the brink of being disconnected. The massive local government failure in recent years has left our communities almost unlovable and people have had enough of this.”
Steenhuisen said failed ANC policies were to blame for widespread poverty and unemployment.
He added only the DA’s policy interventions could effect good governance and turn the state of municipalities around.
“This crisis won’t be solved by who says what at the Zondo Commission. It won’t be solved by who steps aside in the ANC and who doesn’t.”