PRESS RELEASE: CIAG congratulates Steenhuisen but sceptical over ‘Moonshot’.
The Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) warmly congratulates John Steenhuisen on his re-election as Federal Leader of the DA. Under his leadership the party has rediscovered the courage to be true to itself. This courage was on display at this weekends ‘Federal Congress’ when the party democratically chose its leadership on merit not race, and when it openly acknowledged that in 2024 South Africa is in serious danger of an ANC/EFF coalition government which will significantly worsen conditions in the country.
The CIAG, however, has real concerns over Steenhuisen’s ‘Moonshot’.
In 2019, the ANC and its current coalition partners obtained over 70% of the national vote. The DA and its coalition partners obtained well under30%.
Spokesperson Phil Craig said, “No one should be criticised for shooting for the moon, but as Margaret Thatcher once reminded her electorate ‘Pennies have to be earned here on earth’. No credible election analyst currently thinks a DA-led national coalition government which contains neither the ANC nor the EFF is even remotely possible. The CIAG (and many others too) would like to know what the DA’s fall back position is?”
A far more realistic scenario is an ANC/EFF national government, but with the two or three biggest provincial economies in the hands of opposition coalitions.
Craig says, “Where the DA already governs, it must do everything in its power to protect citizens from the outcome it is itself predicting. We agree wholeheartedly with John that South Africa cannot survive an ANC/EFF national coalition. Whilst campaigning for the 2021 elections Helen Zille said, ‘Where people don’t vote ANC, they don’t deserve to live under a failed state’. If the moonshot fails, what is the DA’s plan to make this a reality?”
DATE: 26 September 2022
