How can the DA grow?

[w1z4rd]

I don't think they can in any fast way.

Too long in the tooth, to stuck in their ways and way to many people to please.

Over a million new DA voters this last election seem to disagree with you DA has had steady and consistent growth since it was a 1% party.

 

[Nom Chompsky]

Yip, I am amazed that the DA did not make more of the Marikana issue...

 

[Wall]

get involved in more rural areas. create a presence in these communities and help to build these communities. Make a difference in these areas and positive association will form.

 

[AstroTurf]

Over a million new DA voters this last election seem to disagree with you DA has had steady and consistent growth since it was a 1% party.

They have had growth, but they are only at 22% of the votes.
4% per election means that they could be in power in the next 25 years? not very fast...

 

[supersunbird]

Yip, I am amazed that the DA did not make more of the Marikana issue...

How should they have made more of it? I suspect many think "got what they deserved" due to all the killings before that and an angry crowd with all those "traditional weapons".

 

[Nom Chompsky]

How should they have made more of it? I suspect many think "got what they deserved" due to all the killings before that and an angry crowd with all those "traditional weapons".

Yes, I get that sense from most of MyBB that they deserved it. However, I think there is quite clear evidence that the police involved are very guilty as well. There was huge political capital to be made out of this shocking and sad event. As far as I recall, the DA didn't make much of this event.

 

[supersunbird]

They have had growth, but they are only at 22% of the votes.
4% per election means that they could be in power in the next 25 years? not very fast...

Gauteng has 20% of the registered voters in SA. ANC support dropped 10% (64 to 54) and DA grew 7% (21 to 28) there, taking national votes. Provincial votes the ANC dropped 10% and the DA grew 9%...

 

[AstroTurf]

Gauteng has 20% of the registered voters in SA. ANC support dropped 10% (64 to 54) and DA grew 7% (21 to 28) there, taking national votes. Provincial votes the ANC dropped 10% and the DA grew 9%...

And what do you think the chances of this happening again are?

Zoom will not be there to cock block the ANC next general elections..

 

[supersunbird]

Yes, I get that sense from most of MyBB that they deserved it. However, I think there is quite clear evidence that the police involved are very guilty as well. There was huge political capital to be made out of this shocking and sad event. As far as I recall, the DA didn't make much of this event.

I think its best they didn't make a fuss. Not a good event to try to get political capital from. The EFF made a fuss and still ANC dropped only 6% (73 to 67) , EFF did well with 12%, which is what the DA got too.

 

[Nom Chompsky]

I think its best they didn't make a fuss. Not a good event to try to get political capital from. The EFF made a fuss and still ANC dropped only 6% (73 to 67) , EFF did well with 12%, which is what the DA got too.

There was an interesting map I saw in the newspaper where the service delivery hotspots were, and how the vote changed from 2009. Can't seem to find it online. Although the ANC retained Marikana, there was a sharp drop in support there.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Yes, I get that sense from most of MyBB that they deserved it. However, I think there is quite clear evidence that the police involved are very guilty as well. There was huge political capital to be made out of this shocking and sad event. As far as I recall, the DA didn't make much of this event.

It would have been very risky. They would have been accused to hell and back of exploiting poor blacks at the expense of white capital.

 

[BTTB]

Non-voters' could shape SA's future political landscape

 

[MrGray]

Political commentators bang on about how the vote was racially divided. I don't believe it. If you look at the results it seems clear that the vote was divided between taxpayers, who voted for good administration of their money, and non-taxpayers who have no skin in the game and vote out of loyalty, ideology, habit, or whatever character speaks to them or who they think will give them the most benefits. Logically, therefore, the best way to grow a party whose selling point is good administration of your money, is to increase employment and therefore the taxpaying base that cares about what happens to those deductions from their salaries. Which perfectly explains why, despite lip service, the ANC has no interest in really creating jobs.

 

[cr@zydude]

Over a million new DA voters this last election seem to disagree with you DA has had steady and consistent growth since it was a 1% party.

It has picked up NP and ID voters along the way though. While the DA is growing, I think that it is wrong to simply compare their current vote tally to the 1% which they got in 1994.

 

[Freaksta]

They have had growth, but they are only at 22% of the votes.
4% per election means that they could be in power in the next 25 years? not very fast...

Personally I don't think the DA needs to come to power. I wouldn't want them to have absolute power becaus the exact same thing will happen that's happening now.

What we need is the DA to take the majority in certain areas not by much but by enough to scare the ANC. They need to clean up these areas and show the people what can be done. Once this happens hopefully the ANC will jack up its pants.

I have said this before I have no problem with the ANC as the majority. Just at the moment they suck ass because there is zero accountability. Once there is pressure the pot will cook and anyone that wants the ANC to survive will realize that they need to start delivering.

 

[AstroTurf]

Personally I don't think the DA needs to come to power. I wouldn't want them to have absolute power becaus the exact same thing will happen that's happening now.

What we need is the DA to take the majority in certain areas not by much but by enough to scare the ANC. They need to clean up these areas and show the people what can be done. Once this happens hopefully the ANC will jack up its pants.

I have said this before I have no problem with the ANC as the majority. Just at the moment they suck ass because there is zero accountability. Once there is pressure the pot will cook and anyone that wants the ANC to survive will realize that they need to start delivering.

The other result may not be as pretty if the Anc feel threatened

 

[Pitbull]

Do exactly what you did the last 4 years. Only difference: Be more visible on the ground not just on the news. EFF will take a huge chunk of the ANC vote from them. The DA just needs to grow at the same pace they did these last 4 years to win.

 

[Packer]

Uhm, what? That's literally all they do in the Western Cape. Fransman and Ehrenreich etc.



They've grown remarkably. Look at their performance:

Year - votes - percentage of vote - seats in NA.

1994 338,426 1.73% 7
1999 1,527,337 9.56% 38
2004 1,931,201 12.37% 50
2009 2,945,829 16.66% 67
2014 4,091,584 22.23% 89

They've been the official opposition since '99. No other opposition party has managed to actually get themselves off the ground and make a significant impact other than them.

And what do they have to do differently? JStrike also couldn't manage an answer.

They develop sound, reasonable and practical policies. They're strong where they're in opposition, doing their best to keep the ruling party on their toes. They develop strong, capable leaders across the racial board. They govern well where they govern. They then campaign on this and we're told they're doing it wrong. This is how a mature, proper party approaches politics.

Should they abandon all of this and go the ANC route? Lie to people, make false promises, blackmail them with grants and RDP houses, blatantly lie about your opposition etc?

Stru!

 

[Packer]

But you know they will lose a lot of the white vote if they do change to black leadership. It's a conundrum for the DA, on the one this very election they were actively courting FF+ voters (the same type who are unlikely to vote for a black person) and on the other hand they have to look beyond race.

I don’t think so. You vote for the party you dislike the least. With the DA in power, you can squabble with them for your POV with the assurance that the political system will work as it’s supposed to. It’s pointless squabbling with the corrupt, cheating, criminal ANC. They will just lie and deny your POV (if they acknowledge it at all).

 

[AntiGanda]

The DA can only grow if they become more like the popular ANC
Hence you and I will not recognise it, or support it when that happens.