The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal is taking the 2024 elections fight to the doorsteps of the African National Congress (ANC), which it aims to oust from power next year.
The liberal party has erected an election billboard on the corner of Stalwart Simelane and Morrison Street in central Durban.
That is a stone's throw away from the provincial offices of the governing party, and Simelane, whom the street is named after, is a celebrated former anti-apartheid activist of the ANC.
The pitching of the billboard comes as the ANC Youth League in the province has vowed that it would go ahead with its shutdown with its Thursday "shutdown" of Umngeni Local Municipality to demand the resignation of Chris Pappas.
The popular and Zulu-speaking Pappas is the DA Premier’s candidate, and the youth league accuses him of nepotism—a charge he has denied, and Umngeni has labelled it a smear campaign while his party called it high school gossip.
WATCH: The DA in KwaZulu-Natal is taking the 2024 elections to the doorsteps of the ANC. The liberal party is pitching an election billboard in the corner of Stalwart Simelane and Morrison Street in central Durban. That is stone throw away from the ANC's provincial offices. pic.twitter.com/NpS8FlJ9OS
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) October 3, 2023
The leader of the DA in KwaZulu-Natal, Francois Rodgers, told the party’s faithful on Tuesday in front of the ANC's offices why they chose that part of the city of Durban.
“Democrats, today we launched our election campaign, and we have chosen this position strategically.
“Because this is the home of corruption, because this is the home of the Taliban (the ANC faction in power in KZN), and this is the home of the government that doesn’t care.
“SO, today we are here to make a statement. You have got choices, if you want change, then register for change.
“If you want to continue on the path of decline with Taliban and the ring lords leading this city and the province, then you can continue,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the same day of the flight of the billboard, Rodgers said they were pleased with the results of the latest polling done by the Social Research Foundation (SRF), which shows that the province is firmly on track for a new coalition government that will include the DA.
The polling was conducted between August 14 and September 18, 2023, with 2434 registered voters in KZN and a confidence level of 95%.
On a 58.7% poll, it shows that the DA could get 20% of the provincial vote, up more than 6% from 2019.
“This is good news for the party and shows that we are on a trajectory of growth, which the provincial leadership has positioned the party on since 2021.
PICS: The DA's elections billboards in front of the ANC provincial offices along Stalwart Simelane Street in central Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. They were erected today as the DA is kicking off its 2024 elections campaign. pic.twitter.com/vu5uKYC1E4
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) October 3, 2023
“Further more, it shows that the combined vote of the DA and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) stands at 46%, while the combined vote of the ANC and EFF is at 42%,” he added.
IOL Politics