‘South Africans are now moving to live in DA-run cities’ – John Steenhuisen

John Steenhuisen was the first of the ‘big three’ leaders to deliver his Freedom Day speech on Tuesday – and he made some fairly bold claims in the process. The DA leader addressed an outdoor rally in Nelson Mandela Bay, as he spoke to a socially distanced crowd about corruption, good governance… and even the need for a time machine.

‘Greed is the enemy’: John Steenhuisen on Freedom Day

Steenhuisen started with an old favourite – bashing the ruling party. The DA’s frontman believes that the ANC have ‘twisted the meaning’ of freedom within their own organisation, in order to act with impunity.

“This symbolic freedom of 1994 has not yet translated, for most people, into real economic freedom. Many members of the ruling party seem to have a different idea of what freedom means: For many of them it clearly means freedom from accountability, freedom from repercussions, and freedom from prosecution for crimes committed against South Africa.”

“Greed is the enemy of freedom. The bigger the greed of the ruling elite, the more unattainable the dream of freedom becomes. So tomorrow’s step-aside deadline for ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule isn’t just about one corrupt man’s desperate attempts to dodge his own party’s rules.” | John Steenhuisen

‘People are leaving home to move to DA-run cities’

However, John Steenhuisen hit fifth-gear midway through his speech, championing the DA’s comparatively ‘cleaner’ record of governance since the 2016 Local Municipal Elections. He says it is ‘no coincidence’ that more and more people are moving to the Western Cape each year, citing stronger figures for both employment and financial stability:

“All the non-metro municipalities deemed ‘financially stable’ are also located in the Western Cape. The notable exception being Midvaal in Gauteng – which also just happens to be governed by the DA. There is no coincidence – where voters put their trust in the DA, the government functions, and people are able to live better, more fulfilled lives.”

“There is simply no comparison between DA-run towns/cities, and those run by the ANC. Take jobs and employment. There is a reason why thousands of people leave their provinces and move to the Western Cape every month. Each quarter, you see the chance of finding work in the Western Cape is much higher than anywhere else.”

NMB Metro hangs in the balance for John Steenhuisen, DA

Now, about that time machine: Steenhuisen was left wishing he could be Doctor Who – just for one day in 2016 – as he reflected on Nelson Mandela Bay’s last local election results. The DA fell 12 000 votes short of securing a majority in the metro, ushering in five years of collapsed coalitions and power struggles… and JS is keen to stop history repeating itself.

“I have no doubt that many of those absent voters from 2016 in Port Elizabeth would have gotten themselves registered and voted DA in a heartbeat if they could do it all again, knowing what they know today, to give us an outright majority. But without the benefit of a time machine, the next best thing is to set things right in the next election.”

"We don’t steal. We don’t empower our friends and family. We don’t protect the corrupt. We simply do the basics of good governance, and we do it well. And this means that wherever the DA leads, people have a better chance of building a life of value." – @jsteenhuisen #FreedomDay pic.twitter.com/77H4U7DMPm

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) April 27, 2021