The DA is in total crisis.

[Verde]

Their history is a bit complex.

They did oppose Apartheid but not in the way they would like us to believe. They advocated desegregation but their stalwart Helen Suzman (whom they regularly boast about) is recorded to have said things about black people which they won't exactly want the public to hear including support for the view that black people should not vote.

You won't hear this at a Know Your DA campaign.

During Apartheid, they were also a very fringe movement which led to suggestions that Suzman was just in parliament as a puppet to show that the National Party had opposition. They only really became a political force to be reckoned with after the National Party started collapsing and they inherited the bulk of the voters.

https://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/DC/asapr60.4/asapr60.4.pdf

"Had it too easy?" Frederik van Zyl Slabbert's resignation as leader of the official parliamentary opposition, 7 February 1986

www.scielo.org.za

 

[rietrot]

I know the right faction often has a go at Van Damme for making things public when she does not agree with the party but Gwen appears to have the same trait. She previously did so when she had a fallout with MM.

I actually agree with her here.



View attachment 984802

Make the prisoners the Guinea pigs. Why not.

 

[Mrcricket]

I find this difficult to believe about Ms Suzman. I thought she was the lone ranger among the coward racists of NP.

For her time, she was progressive but not without flaws.

At the time, she was even saying things which angered Desmond Tutu and he is a moderate who has now disowned the ANC. It's probable that she would have not been very popular if she was around today but with that being said, her good work must be recorded.

When people pass on, we tend to overlook their flaws.

 

[Mrcricket]

https://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/DC/asapr60.4/asapr60.4.pdf

View attachment 984954

"Had it too easy?" Frederik van Zyl Slabbert's resignation as leader of the official parliamentary opposition, 7 February 1986

www.scielo.org.za

View attachment 984958

Exactly, this is not exactly stuff they would advertise in their "know your DA campaign".

Another critique was that they agreed to serve on a parliament which many throughout the world considered illegitimate.

 

[Tokolotshe]

Their history is a bit complex.

They did oppose Apartheid but not in the way they would like us to believe. They advocated desegregation but their stalwart Helen Suzman (whom they regularly boast about) is recorded to have said things about black people which they won't exactly want the public to hear including support for the view that black people should not vote.

You won't hear this at a Know Your DA campaign.

During Apartheid, they were also a very fringe movement which led to suggestions that Suzman was just in parliament as a puppet to show that the National Party had opposition. They only really became a political force to be reckoned with after the National Party started collapsing and they inherited the bulk of the voters.

Why would they need a puppet Suzman if they had Mandela already.

 

[Mrcricket]

Why would they need a puppet Suzman

Suzman was their sole enemy within the parliament, Mandela was not allowed there.

 

[supersunbird]

Lol, she is a favourite of the right faction of the DA. She is one from the DA the VF+ will even like but maybe we will start to see another side to her soon.

So someone who is soft on crime (boo hoo, poor criminals) will be liked by the conservative people?

 

[Mrcricket]

So someone who is soft on crime (boo hoo, poor criminals) will be liked by the conservative people?

No, but if you knew Gwen's history, you would know why she is popular among conservative people.

 

[krycor]

True, but apart from that, you have to consider that the DA's two other strongholds (Indians and coloreds) have been becoming apathetic to the party because of the impression that they are being used as voting fodder.

DA almost certainly will win Cape Town with a reduced majority, losing a couple of wards to Good and in more conservative areas, VF+ and Cape Exit.

If you look at the by election results in which they lost, some of these areas were also Indian and colored.

It’s because it’s obvious that they have become a more conservative & right wing party.. a lot of their positions have changed this past 1-2 yrs again to be very similar to the Republican Party of the US.

Then lastly.. when Ramaphosa became President the DA began showing that it was a epically dumb party to support. Yes on the local level.. they awesome with auditing and keeping things in check. But longer term? Are their policies what those communities want?

Answer is no.. I can tell you as a non-white Cpt person that DA support by community came almost entirely post ANC rule of Cpt as a better them then others but after approaching two decades of rule here people are asking if it really helped them beyond the superficial especially with their new direction, cost of living surging, the DA defending the indefensible or rather being quite quiet about drama affluent kids(mostly white) are making.

The other thing is being a good opposition party involved more than just opposing every stance the ANC/ruling party makes and with the pandemic, the DA keeps coming across badly.

This coming election voter apathy is gonna be higher, many will vote for Patricia’s party for the same reason they voted DA years ago ironically in Cpt. For the non-right wing voter this coming election is a bit icky.. I know white and non-white family members are not sure what to do. Interestingly The who gives a ****, conspiracy peddling types who also believe Cpt should secede SA(who aren’t from Cpt ironically) don’t realize who to the right they moved albeit they mostly left, liberal supporting.

 

[Mrcricket]

I can tell you as a non-white Cpt person that DA support by community came almost entirely post ANC rule of Cpt as a better them then others but after approaching two decades of rule here people are asking if it really helped them beyond the superficial especially with their new direction, cost of living surging, the DA defending the indefensible or rather being quite quiet about drama affluent kids(mostly white) are making.

I want them to lose support just to see whether they hold JS to the same standards they held MM. My prediction is that they will probably deploy him quietly into another position either in the DA or IRR.

They can't exactly have a bad fallout with JS because he has the overwhelming support of a big chunk of the white English speaking community and ditching him on bad terms may cause them to re-think their support of the party.

His support among other demographics is low, certainly lower than MM, Tony Leon or HZ in their heyday and this is going to be a problem for the DA. If they take JS to a township, the reaction will be embarrassing in comparison to MM or HZ in her heyday (before she went Trumpian).

It does seem like SA is regressing towards ethnic party lines again. It now looks like the DA will be the voice of the white English speakers whilst white Afrikaners are slowly ditching it for the VF+.

I expect the IFP to do well next year and other ethnic parties like Al Jamaah will also do well. The feelings of some sections of the Zulu community towards the ANC is now quite similar to how some Afrikaners view the DA.

Another problem for the DA is that ethnic parties directed to minorities also most likely takes away their votes.

 

[Vrotappel]

IMO the DA and FF+ needs to start talking to each other about forming a united front against the state capturers and looters.

Their combined vote is being split which allows the ANC to capture and destroy municipalities where they previously would have lost.

Anybody who thinks that a vote for any party but the DA or FF+ will actually be good for SA is seriously delusional.

One wonders how many billions the ANC have stolen and how many millions of necessary deaths the ANC has caused.

 

[Mrcricket]

IMO the DA and FF+ needs to start talking to each other about forming a united front against the state capturers and looters.

It won't work, they can form a coalition when possible but it will be a recipe for disaster if they had to merge.

For instance, the VF+ likes to publically associate with Steve Hofmeyr which they can do if they wish.

However, would it be received well if Hofmeyr had to pitch up at a DA rally? I don't think so. Though it has differing views within it's ranks, the DA largely does accept that Apartheid was wrong, the VF+ does not necessarily believe it was wrong based on what their affiliates say about the issue online.

Many of the VF+ members also openly attack "liberals" which is what the DA claims to be.

These are just three reasons why it won't work.

John Steenhuisen also went on the attack against the VF+ prior to the 2019 election so I don't think they exactly trust him.

 

[Vrotappel]

It won't work, they can form a coalition when possible but it will be a recipe for disaster if they had to merge.

For instance, the VF+ likes to publically associate with Steve Hofmeyr which they can do if they wish.

However, would it be received well if Hofmeyr had to pitch up at a DA rally? I don't think so. Though it has differing views within it's ranks, the DA largely does accept that Apartheid was wrong, the VF+ does not necessarily believe it was wrong based on what their affiliates say about the issue online.

Many of the VF+ members also openly attack "liberals" which is what the DA claims to be.

These are just three reasons why it won't work.

John Steenhuisen also went on the attack against the VF+ prior to the 2019 election so I don't think they exactly trust him.

Like I said their bickering is causing the ANC to take wards from both of them.

They need to get an arrangement in place to stop this from happening.

Afrikaners in all parties must also start operating under one umbrella.

 

[Mrcricket]

Afrikaners in all parties must also start operating under one umbrella.

Not possible.

Whilst you could argue that most Afrikaners are conservative, they are a large group in SA and so have views across the political spectrum ranging from ultra-conservative (thinking the VF+ is too moderate like @HunterNW does) to moderate liberal and in some cases far-left like Elmien Du Plessis and Pierre De Vos.

The VF+ is more likely to succeed in negotiating to form a strong coalition with the IFP. They actually see eye to eye on the vast majority of issues.

I'd say that if you live in KZN and are a stong conservative, your vote would be best served going to the IFP than DA or VF+. They are actually a strong threat to the ANC in KZN.

 

[Vrotappel]

Not possible.

Whilst you could argue that most Afrikaners are conservative, they are a large group in SA and so have views across the political spectrum ranging from ultra-conservative (thinking the VF+ is too moderate like @HunterNW does) to moderate liberal and in some cases far-left like Elmien Du Plessis and Pierre De Vos.

The VF+ is more likely to succeed in negotiating to form a strong coalition with the IFP. They actually see eye to eye on the vast majority of issues.

The IFP is just as corrupt as the ANC.

 

[Mrcricket]

IFP is just as corrupt as the ANC.

What do you base this on?

 

[Vrotappel]

What do you base this on?

Start with Mtubatuba Local Municipality. History of looting and destruction.

 

[Mrcricket]

Pretty sure this is the first time a DA leader has been named Sunday Times Mampara of the week?

Mampara of the week: John Steenhuisen

The DA leader has never been the sharpest pencil in the case. He is a tone-deaf whiner who lacks the political acumen to read the prevailing mood.

www.timeslive.co.za

 

[Excalibur]

Pretty sure this is the first time a DA leader has been named Sunday Times Mampara of the week?

Mampara of the week: John Steenhuisen

The DA leader has never been the sharpest pencil in the case. He is a tone-deaf whiner who lacks the political acumen to read the prevailing mood.

www.timeslive.co.za

Congratulations John!

 

[blah99]

Pretty sure this is the first time a DA leader has been named Sunday Times Mampara of the week?

Mampara of the week: John Steenhuisen

The DA leader has never been the sharpest pencil in the case. He is a tone-deaf whiner who lacks the political acumen to read the prevailing mood.

www.timeslive.co.za

He's got a lot of catch up to do to get to Malema.