Your columnist, Patrick Cull (Cull on Monday), raises some issues in relation to the Democratic Alliance which need to be located within a broader debate.
There is certainly a greater interest in politics amongst all South Africans and an excitement is building up amongst many people that South Africa can be changed. This is the hope created by the recent split in the ANC and the election of Barack Obama in the USA.
In this context the DA is growing in all communities. Never before in South Africa’s history has the DA been more relevant. The stronger the DA support becomes, the stronger force we become in a future government or coalition governments. Unlike other parties, we have clear policy alternatives to the African National Congress.
The DA is well positioned to win the Western Cape in the elections next year as well as be part of an opposition coalition that takes Gauteng and Northern Cape.
The recent voter registration turn out in our strongholds has been phenomenal. In some wards up to seven times the number of voters that normally come to register have done so. Unlike the African National Congress we are heartened by the turnout in our key support areas.
The Democratic Alliance is a party for all the people and our re-branding exercise that will be launched over the weekend is designed to broaden our appeal across South Africa.
Given the fact that the Democratic Alliance has a solid 25% of the vote in the Nelson Mandela Metro, for example, we will be at the core of any coalition government that may be formed in the next elections in this Municipality and others in the Eastern Cape that we might not win outright under our own strength.
We are totally confident that the opportunities that are opening up in South Africa will greatly benefit the Democratic Alliance and enable us to implement more of our policies and programmes.
Yours faithfully
BOBBY STEVENSON, MPL
CHIEF WHIP
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