/ 7 April 2018

Mmusi Maimane is willing to give a DA-ANC partnership a try

A Democratic Alliance rally.
A Democratic Alliance rally.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has said his party would consider forming a coalition with the ANC if the ruling party splits and forms a separate grouping that is willing to work with the DA to uphold the constitution.

Maimane has said the future of the country’s governance is in coalitions, but it remains to be seen whether the DA would still form a partnership with the Economic Freedom Fighters in future.

Speaking to the Mail & Guardian this week, Maimane expressed a belief that the ANC was likely to split in the near future and that a breakaway would be welcomed by the DA and its efforts at a national coalition government.

“Don’t assume that the ANC will remain together. Don’t assume that things will always stay the same. I actually think that it would be good for the ANC to split so that those in the ANC who agree with the constitution, who agree with non-racialism must come and work with the DA,” Maimane said.

Maimane has reiterated his view of a future of national coalition at the DA’s federal congress taking place at the Tshwane Events centre this weekend.

During his opening address Maimane indicated a commitment to continuing coalition politics even in the 2019 national elections, despite the difficulties the DA has faced in some of its coalition Municipalities.

Last year, the party lost control of the Mogale City municipality in Gauteng, when either one of its own councillors or a councillor from its coalition partner the EFF voted in support of a motion of no confidence against DA mayor Michael Holenstein.

This year the party faces the threat of having Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip removed from his position through a motion of no confidence brought by the EFF.

“Is it easy? I can tell you truthfully, not always. But is it the right way – absolutely – because it is democracy in action,” Maimane said.

“Even where our partners in government turned on us in the name of racial populism, we have prevailed. And we will continue to prevail, because ours is the good fight. Our cause is just and our principles firm”.