MAMELODI, TSHWANE — The Democratic Alliance election campaign push has reached its critical final stages in Mamelodi, as the party makes a decisive effort to secure outright majorities in major metropolitan municipalities ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
Making its final weekend push, the Democratic Alliance is focusing heavily on wooing residents in the major metros, including Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni. The party’s strategy centers on highlighting its track record in successfully governed provinces and municipalities, aiming to convince voters to give them the same opportunity across the country’s key urban centers.
While the party acknowledges that power-sharing agreements may be the reality following the November 4 elections, the Democratic Alliance is entering the fray with a clear aspiration: securing an outright majority to avoid the pitfalls of unstable coalitions.
Focus on Service Delivery Over Ideology
Solly Malatsi, the party’s Deputy Federal Chair, recently penned a column framing the upcoming vote as a critical choice about “what will work” rather than engaging in shallow ideological conversations.
Speaking ahead of the final rally, Malatsi emphasized that the core of the election is about the daily realities of citizens. He noted that residents simply want to wake up in safe environments, turn on a tap to get clean, drinkable water, and walk on clean streets free of potholes.
“The greatest measure of that is the level of service delivery,” Malatsi stated, pointing to the party’s scorecard in government. He cited Auditor General audit outcomes and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) performance measurements as evidence that the party consistently scores the highest in municipal performance. While acknowledging that the party has not gotten everything perfect, he maintained that they remain the “leader of the pack.”
Navigating Coalition Realities
Addressing the complexities of local government, Malatsi acknowledged that while a single-party majority allows for smoother budget passing and infrastructure rollout, coalition governments are a reality that will be around for a long time. However, he warned that multi-party coalitions often slow down service delivery and lead to instability.
Reflecting on the party’s entry into local government coalitions in 2016 and the lessons learned in 2021, Malatsi admitted that the party was initially unprepared for the “hustle and bustle” of managing multiple political relationships. He highlighted the chaos that can ensue when basic services fail, pointing to the uncollected refuse in Johannesburg during election week as a stark indicator of what happens when a municipality fails to focus on core services.
“You won’t get municipalities working if they are unable to deliver water… or guarantee that refuse will be removed,” Malatsi noted, stressing that the party is now much wiser in managing coalitions. The strategy moving forward is to seek stable partners who share common values and to aim for a vote share closer to 40%. This would allow the party to strike coalitions with fewer parties, avoiding the instability of multi-party agreements where small parties can make unreasonable demands.
Final Rally and Looking Ahead
The party is anticipating strong results, projecting that it will be the largest party in both Johannesburg and Pretoria. By securing a strong mandate, the Democratic Alliance aims to be in the best possible position to form stable, effective governance structures.
The final campaign rally in Mamelodi kicked off with a stream of supporters heading into the venue. Geordin Hill-Lewis is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at 11:00 a.m., wrapping up the party’s manifesto journey and delivering the final message to residents before voters head to the polls on November 4.
