Poll shows DA support is in the doldrums

[yebocan]

Poll shows DA support is in the doldrums

The DA has failed to capitalise on Jacob Zuma’s scandal-plagued tenure, with recent internal polling showing a decline in the party’s growth rather than an increase, about 18 months ahead of the 2019 general election.

The party is polling at a pre-2016 electoral support level of 24.5%, following expectations that it would grow to 30% in 2019 and wrestle Gauteng from the ANC.

Business Day understands that there is concern in the party as this indicates that it has taken a step backward from the growth it registered in 2016 when it took over the running of three major metros.

Many factors are understood to be at the heart of this, including the emergence of Cyril Ramaphosa as president of the ANC in December 2017.

Further factors affecting its support include its handling of the drought in the Western Cape and infighting over Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille.

There is also disagreement on strategy in the party, anchored in its failure to adequately plan for a possible Ramaphosa win at the ANC’s elective conference.

 

[thestaggy]

Saw it coming.

Another 10-years of unchallenged ANC dominance.

 

[TheChamp]

Polls are to be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

[Former member 61586]

Saw it coming.

Another 10-years of unchallenged ANC dominance.

Have some rep. People are fickle and imbecilic.

 

[Devviem]

The Democratic Alliance

 

[R13...]

Have some rep. People are fickle and imbecilic.

Doesn't help that the DA has been ably assisting in their own with all these own goals they seem bent on scoring.

 

[Former member 61586]

Doesn't help that the DA has been ably assisting in their own with all these own goals they seem bent on scoring.

Unfortunately also true. But if you consider the last 9 years, surely people would want better? And right now, even with the own goals, the DA is still better. The EFF is not an option for a non-racist South Africa. They are the non-white AWB.

 

[ɹǝuuᴉM]

Saw it coming.

Another 10-years of unchallenged ANC dominance.

No "thestaggy", you are wrong! As I have said before, the biggest challenge to the ANC won't come from the DA. Never. The EFF is the party which will make the most gains in 2019. By 2024 I expect them to give the DA a good run for the second position. Actually I expect the DA to drop to 20% or so. As a side effect, the Freedom-Front might get their 1-million voters. While the EFF will have closer to 30%. The writing is on the wall.

 

[grok]

It's Maimane, although he's better than 99. 9% of ANC politicians there's something indescribable.. fishy, slimy, off-putting about him.

Bring Zille back, she has fire & believed in stuff, unlike the squid they were forced to replaced her with..

 

[xrapidx]

Well they're not doing themselves any favours with the water in Cape Town, and the rates in Johannesburg (we, in Cape Town, already had that treatment a few times).

I stopped voting for them because of their inability to maintain my suburb.

 

[Pitbull]

Maybe it has to do with their shift in policy. Lots of former DA supporters moving away because of it me included

 

[konfab]

. They are the non-white AWB.

They are the polar opposite of the AWB.

The EFF wants the state to own everything and command the economy at the behest of its glorious leader. The AWB wants its own piece of clay in South Africa that is free of black people.

 

[C4Cat]

Maybe it has to do with their shift in policy. Lots of former DA supporters moving away because of it me included

What shift in policy?

 

[thestaggy]

No "thestaggy", you are wrong! As I have said before, the biggest challenge to the ANC won't come from the DA. Never. The EFF is the party which will make the most gains in 2019. By 2024 I expect them to give the DA a good run for the second position. Actually I expect the DA to drop to 20% or so. As a side effect, the Freedom-Front might get their 1-million voters. While the EFF will have closer to 30%. The writing is on the wall.

I disagree.

Unless they find something to campaign on, the ANC effectively killed the EFF as a legitimate threat. Free education and land expropriation without compensation were both key rallying points for the EFF. They're both set to be pushed through, by the ANC.

The ANC are also talking about nationalising the SARB again, so if they start nationalising stuff then that is another thing ''taken'' from the EFF's agenda.

The EFF will just end up as a firebrand fringe party at this rate until Malema rejoins the ANC and then it will disappear.

 

[3WA]

Link to poll? Curious to see the makeup etc.

In any case, I would rather argue that DA electoral returns were inflated by Zuma and now they're back to normal. I only started voting DA when Zuma showed up (although I'll probably stay).

 

[Priapus]

Another ten years of the ANC doesn't sound like a good option for the country.

 

[R13...]

They are the polar opposite of the AWB.

The EFF wants the state to own everything and command the economy at the behest of its glorious leader. The AWB wants its own piece of clay in South Africa that is free of black people.

Two sides of the same coin in their racist ideologies.

 

[rietrot]

What shift in policy?

Not really a shift in policy but more Miamane trying to aplease the ANC twitter trolls and playing identity politics. They should just stick to their clasical liberal ideals then all will be well.

 

[R13...]

Unfortunately also true. But if you consider the last 9 years, surely people would want better? And right now, even with the own goals, the DA is still better. The EFF is not an option for a non-racist South Africa. They are the non-white AWB.

Unfortunately the DA support is made up of the fickle sort that in the black populace Zuma called clever blacks and the white side both of whom don't sign blank unlike ANC supporters. The emergence of the EFF helped the DA in taking support away from the ANC and Zuma drove most of the "clever blacks" into the hands of the ANC. The other portion are the ones who simply stayed away from the polls when dissatisfied with the ANC instead of voting different. There is of course a large portion of the middle and young people who stay away from the due to political apathy or a belief that their single vote won't make a difference.

 

[Arzy]

My problem with the DA is that they aren't coming out with a clear message on why anyone should be voting for them.

It's all good and well to be the official opposition and give the ANC a go on their failures but what are they actually bringing to the table? They are simply a defacto alternative at this point and reactionary to the ANC for the sake of doing something.

I'd like them to come out and say that people should vote for them because their policy is x, y and z and then use half of their anti-anc motions in Parliament to debate and push these. Even if they fail, at least the DA is getting something across. Currently it's all just corruption and anything but what the ANC says.

No matter how misguided they are at least the EFF has a clear and simple message. They had 3 or 4 policies everyone was clear on and they pushed them.