John Steenhuisen: ‘We can bring hope to the Eastern Cape’

Democratic Alliance (DA) interim leader John Steenhuisen believes the party can bring hope to the embattled Eastern Cape.

Allegations of corruption have plagued the province, and the spotlight on misconduct has again landed on the region amid the COVID-19 crisis.

John Steenhuisen outlines DA plans for Eastern Cape

Steenhuisen was speaking at a virtual conference held by the DA in the Eastern Cape on Saturday; when he said, the province has supported its standing as “South Africa’s corruption” capital through the looting of resources amid the pandemic.

“And as always, the people – and particularly the poorest in the province – had to pay the heaviest price for all of this. They are the real victims of a failed, corrupt government. “Fellow Democrats, we can change this. We can bring hope to the Eastern Cape. “And we’ll do this by extending our footprint in this province, ward by ward, town by town. By taking what we have in Kouga, and what we had in NMB, and replicating it.”

John Steenhuisen

Winning back the Eastern Cape 

The DA had taken control of one of the metros in the Eastern Cape – the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality – following the most recent local government elections.

However, they relinquished their control of the area after then-standing mayor Athol Trollip was ousted by the ANC, UDM and the EFF through a motion of no confidence.

In his address on Saturday, John Steenhuisen said he was confident that the DA is capable of winning back Nelson Mandela Bay.

“But we won’t stop there. We will take our message far beyond NMB and Kouga. And even where we won’t necessarily win control of municipalities, we will make inroads. We will take wards off the ANC, and we will establish a DA presence across every community in this province.

“That’s how we’ll spread the word and sell the DA difference to the people of the Eastern Cape, and throughout the rest of the country.”

John Steenhuisen

The next local government elections will take place in 2021.