Leon believes the tensions between the DA & ANC in the GNU will benefit both parties in some form
CAPE TOWN - Former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Tony Leon, believes however the tensions between the African National Congress (ANC) and the DA play out in the Government of National Unity (GNU), it will have benefited both parties in one way or another.
Speaking to the Cape Town Press Club on Monday about his sixth book, titled Being There , Leon believes an "anti-DA" sentiment can have political mileage for both parties as they head to their respective elective conferences.
Leon, who was one of the DA's GNU negotiators, said it was part of healthy political debate for both parties to have disagreements over the DA's presence within the GNU.
While Leon doesn't believe the GNU has yet made any notable achievements in turning the country's misfortunes around, he said praise was due for keeping the partnership together, considering the battles it's already faced.
"I think that in itself shows a degree of maturity on both sides, because they are both relatively big parties, who have differences of opinion, and to still have maintained the government is an achievement."
He predicted two upcoming stress points for the two major parties, the next local government elections and the ANC's 2027 leadership contest.
"I think if someone like Paul Mashatile is elected as the president of the ANC, which must have some prospect, I would be surprised if the GNU lasts to 2029."
Leon said that even within the DA itself, where the party is not unanimous on whether the GNU has been a sage political move, there should be ongoing descensus and debate over whether it should stay, go, or renegotiate its terms.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Ntsiki Mazwai calls for the rejection of Helen Zille's Joburg mayoral bid
Controversial South African poet Ntsiki Mazwai has sparked controversy once again, this time by urging South Africans to firmly reject Helen Zille's plans to contest the mayorship of Johannesburg. Known for her direct opinions, Mazwai did not mince her words when referring to the former leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), labelling the 74-year-old as a 'white supremacist' and asserting that her leadership would be detrimental to the city and its predominantly black population. In a viral post on X, Ntsiki expressed her concern for Zille's ambitions to 'save' the city she calls home, stating: 'We cannot afford to have Helen Zille as mayor of Joburg. She is 100 million times worse than Cyril Ramaphosa.' Mazwai highlighted her belief that Zille's leadership style would bring about "abusive" conditions similar to those witnessed in the Western Cape, where Zille previously governed, asserting, 'She wants to bring that to Joburg.' Continuing her attack on Zille, Mazwai declared that voting for the former DA leader would be a 'huge and scary mistake' that could negatively impact the black majority in Johannesburg. She further remarked on the current mayor, Dada Morero, stating that while he was not the best option, 'Anyone is better than Dada.' As Mazwai advocates for the rejection of Zille's candidacy, some voices have emerged in support of it. Actor Siv Ngesi quipped that despite local resentment towards Zille, her experience and leadership could prove beneficial for Johannesburg, which he described as a 'huge mess.' @goolammv wrote: "I am not promoting Helen Zille, I am promoting what is the best for Joburg residents and Helen Zille's record speak for itself. It's Not about ANC, DA or any other party, if you want your work done Helen Zille track record speaks for itself. Out of thousands of cities in the world, Zille was selected as World Mayor of the Year in 2008 ... It's not about party politics, it's about saving South Africa's biggest Metro."
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
Could Helen Zille and Elon Musk be Joburg's dream team?
They are far apart in many, but Zille and Musk can both be ruthlessly efficient when the occasion demands, and both are anti-woke. Fixing Joburg will be a huge job that no-one can tackle alone. Whoever is elected mayor will need a strong team to fix South Africa's biggest, most important city. It's beyond the collective abilities of incumbent Dada Morero and Snuki Zikalala, leader of the so-called bomb squad which has all the explosive power of a damp squib. Cyril Ramaphosa's presidential working group is ineffectual in Joburg and Morero is delusional. I have no idea why he singled out my ward – out of 135 – but News24 reported him as saying, 'there are no potholes in ward 90'. In fact, there are over 100 and he has access to this data if he cared enough to look. Possibly he gets his information from the spouse of a senior ANC person who lives in Hurlingham, where residents have for years been fixing potholes because the Joburg Road Agency does not. If Helen Zille does accept the nomination and is elected mayor, she should recruit Elon Reeve Musk. ALSO READ: Could Helen Zille be what's best for Joburg? They are far apart in many ways and she might recoil at the prospect of any association, but both can be ruthlessly efficient when the occasion demands, and both are anti-woke. Those qualities are required to cut through the ideological claptrap, dishonesty, laziness and incompetence that continue to ruin Joburg. In addition to being voted the world's best mayor after turning around the crumbling Cape Town metro, Zille excelled as Western Cape premier. After that she wrote a best-seller #Staywoke Go Broke. As chair of the DA's federal executive, she played a leading role in negotiations over the government of national unity, remaining in the spotlight. Zille epitomises the slogan: the DA gets things done. That's a reputation Musk has earned on the global stage, becoming a leader in space travel, social media, low-orbit satellite communication and electric motor vehicles. And he is the world's richest man. In his brief stint as head of US President Donald Trump's department of government efficiency (Doge), Musk displayed the same merciless focus he had used to revamp Twitter. His declared aim when taking over the social media platform was to promote free speech and combat the 'woke mind virus'. Joburg needs a dose of Doge to root out the rot. ALSO READ: Elon Musk could shake up SA's government Some have even suggested Musk for mayor, which is stretching credulity. Although he still has a South African ID number, he is not registered to vote in SA. And the job is way beneath his station. A short-term assignment clearing out some of the rubbish would help set up Joburg for renewal. Mayors are not chosen through media speculation or pop-up polls. In the council chamber, councillors vote on candidates nominated and seconded by their peers. If Zille does put her name forward as a candidate before Friday's deadline, she will have to go through an internal party process. If she is the DA's candidate, she will have to be sworn in as an ordinary councillor before any voting in council. With possibly 20 months to go before local government elections, there is no guarantee Zille will be elected mayor. She would be the best candidate. Musk would be a bonus. A booster rocket. NOW READ: 'Joburg is in free fall' — Next month could be make or break for Mayor Dada Morero
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
DA Gauteng faces internal strife over Zille's Johannesburg mayoral bid
DA Federal chairperson Helen Zille, is considering contesting for the Johannesburg mayoral chain. Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Media The DA in Gauteng is facing internal divisions as senior members have expressed discontent over Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille's interest in contesting as the DA candidate for the Johannesburg mayoral job ahead of the 2026 local government elections. With 13 candidates already throwing their hats into the ring, Zille's potential candidacy has sparked debate within the party. At the weekend, Zille made her intentions known that she was considering contesting the mayoral seat in the Johannesburg metro ahead of the elections. However, some senior DA members in Gauteng feel that Zille's decision to contest for the mayoral position undermines the party's leadership in the province and in Johannesburg. "It cannot be that we were responsible for deposing the ANC and then leaders of yesterday want to rein in on our success," said a senior member who spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no continuity in this party, and to be honest with you, I'm not the only one who feels this way…We will continue to bleed members if this goes on,' they added. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Another member said Zille's ambition could be compared to the ANC where 'leaders wanted to grow old in positions of power'. "We have seen this, year in, year out, with the leaders of the ANC not wanting to vacate positions of power. This led to the party's downfall as there were no new ideas. It's sad that we have officials who want to hog power." However, DA leaders in Gauteng have downplayed concerns over internal divisions as a result of Zille's potential candidacy. The leader of the DA in Gauteng, Solly Msimanga, said that Zille will not be treated differently and will have to undergo the same application process as everyone else who is interested in applying to be the mayor of Johannesburg. "The DA's candidate selection is a competitive process," Msimanga said. "Many people apply, and they will compete with each other. No one will be deployed. The party has a process that will produce an outcome. 'Obviously people in the party have different views, but they will accept the outcome of a fair process in which any DA member is free to compete,' Msimanga said. According to DA Gauteng chairperson Fred Nel, the preferred candidate is selected through a rigorous process that involves nominations, a screening phase, assignment completion, presentation and questioning, ranking and proposal and the final decision. Zille did not respond to questions over the division her announcement had created. In a related development, former City of Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse has ruled out contesting the city's mayoral position ahead of the 2026 local government elections. Phalatse, who made history in November 2021 as the first woman mayor of Johannesburg, confirmed that she has no intention of returning to the mayoral seat. "I am not considering making the move," Phalatse stated. "I am still a member of the DA, but my political journey is taking a different path,' she told IOL. Opposition parties have also weighed in on Zille's potential candidacy, with many expressing skepticism over her ability to unite the city's diverse communities. In a statement the UmKhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) rejected Zille's intention to take over the Johannesburg Mayor's seat. 'Let it be known that the MK Party stands ready and capable to rescue the City come the 2026 Local Government Elections,' MKP said. The party added that it was nonsensical to consider the possibility of a Capetonian resident holding Mayoral capacity in a City that she is alien to. 'We call on the residents of Johannesburg, especially proud black people, to reject the propaganda that the DA does not see colour. As shown in the City of Cape Town, the DA's priorities tend to shift depending on the race of the residents. 'There are more than enough black candidates who can adequately fulfil the mayoral mandate in the City of Johannesburg,' the MK Party said.
