The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) historical animosity posture against the EFF has come back to haunt it in the Gauteng Legislature.
On Friday, the DA’s stance cost it the opportunity to govern the richest province in the country. It filed a motion of no confidence against Premier Panyaza Lesufi and invited the EFF, among other parties, to help remove Lesufi.
However, Julius Malema’s party recalled the DA’s historical negative comments, particularly against its commander-in-chief.
The DA’s motion was only supported by Freedom Front Plus’s lone Member of the Legislature, while the EFF, uMkhonto weSizwe, IFP, ActionSA, Rise Mzansi, and Build One South Africa voted against the motion. The African Christian Democratic Party abstained. The motion eventually failed.
The EFF not only voted against the motion but also disrupted DA caucus leader Solly Msimanga when tabling it.
In a written reply by the EFF caucus leader, Philip Makwala, to Msimanga’s invitation to assist in unseating Lesufi, he reminded him about the DA labelling his party, the EFF, as its enemy number one.. He then questioned how the DA hoped to get support from its enemy number one.
“On 2 April 2023, the DA leader publicly declared the EFF as the enemy number one of the DA. This statement and others have consistently defined the EFF as your party’s public enemy number one, while portraying the ANC as a pliant partner with whom you can cooperate.
“It is therefore curious that, despite this posture, you now seek our cooperation to vote your trusted partners out of power in Gauteng. It appears the DA wants its proverbial bread buttered on both sides. The EFF believes that political engagement must be grounded in mutual respect and good faith.
“For as long as your public pronouncements about the EFF remain in effect, the EFF has no business engaging with your organisation in whatever way, shape, or form,” said Makwala.
He further listed DA leader John Steenhuisen’s comment during a meeting in the White House with US President Donald Trump, where he repeatedly stated that the DA joined the Government of National Unity to keep the EFF and MKP out.
Furthermore, Makwala stated that if the DA genuinely wished to demonstrate good faith, it must publicly retract these inflammatory statements and issue a clear apology.
“In the absence of such, the EFF cannot participate in any discussions with a party that continues to delegitimise it publicly while seeking cooperation privately,” concluded Makwala.
In response, the DA did not directly respond to the EFF but accused it and other parties of betraying Gauteng residents by opposing the motion. The party said that despite these parties previously condemning Lesufi’s poor leadership, they decided to defend him.
Msimanga lashed out at the ‘sellout’ parties, saying that rather than acting on their own criticism of Lesufi over the Amapanyaza scandal, his shielding of corrupt officials by refusing to release lifestyle audits and many more blunders, these parties chose not to hold him accountable.
“The DA will continue to push for Lesufi’s removal, as his prolonged tenure threatens to deteriorate our province. We will stand together with the people of Gauteng, undeterred by those whose pursuit of power overshadows their sense of responsibility,” he said.
In the 80-seat legislature, the ANC is the majority party with 28, followed by the DA with 22. The EFF comes third with 11 seats, while the MKP is in the fourth spot with eight. ActionSA is in number five position with three seats, while the Patriotic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus have two apart.
The IFP, Rise Mzansi, Build One South Africa, and ACDP have one each.
